Angel of Dreams
by Crystal Twilight
Summary: A prophecy is unfolded and Hitomi is abducted... Is this the end of Gaea?
1. Unwanted Love

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, this is for entertainment purposes only.  
  
A/N: OK, this is for all you Van/Hitomi lovers out there, personally I love them as a couple, and I can't get enough of their romance fics, so here's my second V/H fic, that I hope you enjoy! R&R! Flashback ^_^  
  
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Angel of Dreams  
  
Chapter 1: Unwanted Love  
  
Hitomi gazed at the full-length mirror before her. Her reflection wavered and she saw the face on an angel, her angel, Van. She shook her head and his image disappeared from her view. She pulled the wedding veil over her face, but she saw his face whispering, "Hitomi..." She sighed and looked at her wedding dress. It was made of white silk and was truly beautiful with the pearls and white sequins that covered the bodice making it shimmer.  
  
It had been three years since she had left Gaea and returned to her home, the Mystic Moon. 'Funny how I never call it Earth anymore.' She thought. When she had arrived home for the second time, she had awoken in that familiar hospital room again, with bandages wrapped around her head. When she opened her eyes, she was staring into the face of her all-but-forgotten first love, Amano.  
  
"A-Amono?"  
  
"Stay in bed Hitomi, you got a nasty bruise from returning from wherever it is that you went."  
  
"Amano... I missed you..." Which was a half lie. True she had missed Amano for quite some time after landing on Gaea, the world with two moons in the sky. But then she had fallen, fallen in love with Van.  
  
"I missed you too..." He replied kissing her on the cheek as her face turned a bright crimson.   
  
It had progressed from there. Hitomi and Amano had gone on many dates, but her inward love for Van remained. She was able to talk to Van through her mind, some reaction of the pendant she supposed. But one day about a year ago, there had been no reply from Van, and Hitomi had never felt so alone.  
'Well fine, if he doesn't want to talk to me, I won't ever speak to him again!' She had tried to forget about Van, and to concentrate on Amano, but it was so hard to let go. Everywhere she went, everything she did reminded her some way of him. 'Is this love?' She wondered. 'Not being able to let go of someone, even if they hurt you?'  
  
Hitomi's parents raved about what a fine boy Amano was, and her brother thought that Amano was cool. One day, Amano had proposed to her. She had not known what to do, she was dumbfounded. This was the second marriage proposal directed at her in less than three years... 'What do I have to lose, it's not like I'll ever see him again...' She argued with herself. Hope still lingered but none-the-less, she had said, "Yes."  
  
Now, as she sat in the bride's dressing room on her wedding day, she wasn't sure she had made the right decision. She sighed as she brushed her shoulder length chestnut hair.  
"Hitomi?" Asked the familiar voice of her best friend Yukari.  
  
"Oh. Hey Yukari."  
  
"What's wrong Hitomi?" Her best friend asked with concern.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Don't give me that Hitomi Kanzaki! I've been your best friend forever, I know when something's bugging you."  
  
"I'm just not sure...  
  
"About what?"  
  
"If this marriage is the right thing to do..."  
  
"Oh c'mon Hitomi, Amano's a great guy, you're lucky to have him..." Hitomi was too absorbed in her won thoughts to notice the sad look that spread across Yukari's face as she reassured her.  
  
"I guess you're right."   
Hitomi looked at her watch, "Oh gosh, it's starting!" Hitomi exclaimed, trying not to trip over her dress as she ran out the door.  
  
"You're my very best friend Hitomi, and I want you to be happy." She whispered after her friend had exited. 'Even if I'm not...' She silently added to herself.  
  
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As Hitomi entered the room, the talk and laughter ceased, and the organ music echoed throughout the small church.   
There were whispers of, "Isn't she lovely?" and "Amano's a lucky man!" As she made her way down the aisle.   
  
It seemed like she had walked for an eternity, when she finally made it to Amano and the elderly minister. Amano was wearing the same suit he had worn on that night. The night when a boy fell from the sky and slew that awful dragon. The night when she had been sent away with that boy to Gaea. A beautiful world embraced by the heavens, loved by the land, and cradled by the sea.  
She went hurling back to reality when Amano said, "I do."  
  
The minister continued with Hitomi's vows, but when she was supposed to say her, "I do" a flurry of feathers fell from the sky.   
The guests wondered at the pearly white feathers as Hitomi whispered, "He's calling me..."  
  
"Who's calling you?" Amano asked.  
  
Before she could give him her answer the minister said, "Surely this is a sigh from the angels of heaven that this union is a good one, Now Miss Hitomi, your 'I do...'"  
  
"I don't." Hitomi replied.  
  
"What?!" The minister and Amano exclaimed as the guests murmured about her unexpected response.  
  
"I don't think this marriage is right for you, or me, or... Yukari..." Hitomi said pointing at her sobbing friend.  
"... Amano, you and Yukari belong together, because Yukari... well she loves you Amano..."  
  
"Yukari?" Amano asked in surprise.  
  
"Oh Amano!" Yukari cried out as she jumped into his arms.  
"But what about you Hitomi?" Yukari asked through happy tears.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, someone's waiting for me..." Hitomi replied as she was bathed in blue light and disappeared.  
The guests looked upward in shock, it wasn't every day that the bride vanished through the ceiling. While they were gaping, Amano and Yukari kissed to seal their everlasting love.  
  
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A/N: I know that was short, but most of these chapters probably will be, I hope you liked it, next chapter coming up later! I also wanted to thank all of you out there who complimented my fanfic "Wings of an Angel," your support makes me want to continue it! If interested go to: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=360415 Arigatou and Sionara! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  



	2. Return to Gaea

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca, 'Wish I did though...'  
  
A/N: Oh, I am SOOOOOOOOO happy that you people liked it, if no one reviewed I thought I'd just take it off, but some peeps liked it!!!!!!!!! YAY! Thanks so much to those of you who reviewed, my parents are going to be mad at me, but I had to add a new chapter to this and "Wings of an Angel" to celebrate, and if I get this typed, maybe I'll have time to upload on my account shared with my BF or Blood of an Adonis, today's Friday, so I'll have a whole weekend of uploading!!!!!!!! You don't know how much reviews mean to me, thanks again... Note: Aishiteru is Japanese for: I love you, and most of you know that baka means idiot, moron, etc... Enjoy! R&R! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 2: Return to Gaea  
  
Amano had never "really" loved Hitomi when she had returned; inside he had always loved her bright, quirky friend, Yukari. His parents met Hitomi and said that she was great and that they loved her like a daughter. Amano had thought that he would be happy with Hitomi, but on their wedding day, he knew he had been wrong, his palms were sweaty and his heart ached... Yukari would haunt his conscious until the end of time if he had married the emerald eyed girl. He had loved Hitomi, but as a friend, Yukari, well... Yukari was just something special...  
  
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Merle stared at the window. A flock of geese honked loudly as they flew past, but she didn't seem to notice as she kept staring at the Mystic Moon. 'How long has it been since that mystic moon girl left, three years?' And she sighed.  
  
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Hitomi found herself in a bright-colored garden.  
"Ouch." She muttered as she pulled a rose thorn from her palm. A trickle of blood ran down her hand, but she didn't seem to notice as she looked up into the blue sky and saw the two moons glimmering in the heavens.  
"I made it." She whispered as she fell back into the red flowers, she was exhausted from the trip, and fell into a deep slumber...  
  
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A couple hours later...  
  
"Wake up sleeping beauty!" A catlike voice rang in Hitomi's ear.  
"Who are you?" But the catgirl gasped when Hitomi opened her emerald eyes.  
"H-Hitomi?... Is that you?..."  
  
"Merle!" Hitomi cried our excitedly, giving her archrival a hug.  
  
"Hey! Don't get all mushy on me!" Merle retorted, pushing Hitomi to one side.  
  
Hitomi either didn't notice, or didn't care about Merle's last comment as she continued.  
"It's great to see you again..."  
"Where's Van?" Hitomi asked, looking around, thinking she'd see him with outstretched arms running towards her.  
  
"Hitomi..." Merle said in a serious tone.  
"Lord Van's gravely ill. He may die."  
  
"No... Van can't die, if anyone can make it, Van can..."  
'Van clung for life, he kept fighting, he couldn't be ready to die...' Hitomi thought in a heartcrushed stupor.  
  
"I've been telling myself that for the past year Hitomi, it hasn't helped yet..." Said the catgirl in a sad tone.  
  
"Can I see him?" She quietly requested.  
  
"Sure." The catgirl replied, trying to perk up her voice, but it was useless... Hitomi didn't expect her to have her usual cheerfulness; right now, they were suffering the same pain...  
As they headed towards his room, Merle continued, "After you left, Lord Van was so depressed, Hitomi. He wouldn't train, he didn't eat, all he did was stare out his window, looking at the Mystic Moon..."  
  
"I'm sorry, I've caused him so much pain..." Hitomi whispered.  
  
"He missed you so much, Hitomi..." Merle quietly replied, which was not like her at all.  
  
"I missed him too..."  
  
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The girls FINALLY reached Van's room. Hitomi hesitated entering, afraid of what she would find within... Merle noticed this, so she pushed the apprehensive girl through the doorway. Inside, a dozen healers hovered around a huge four-poster. As Hitomi moved closer, she saw the pale face and trembling figure of Van. His shirt was off and Hitomi blushed from his half-exposed body. The healers pressed poultices on his chest while nurses continually got fresh wet cloths for his forehead. Despite the warm temperature of the room, she saw that Van was shivering.  
  
"You know, it's all that baka from the Mystic Moon's fault!"  
"Van-Sama would be fine if that girl hadn't left..."  
"Oh well, she was getting on my nerves after awhile, always predicting all that junk, it was pure coincidence, nothing more..."  
"To think, the council was told to call of engagements with all those fine princesses, in hope that that stupid girl would return. Ha! That's a laugh!"  
"Why did Lord Van get so attached to her, after all, she was just a foreigner, and a tomboy at that!"  
"I really don't know!"  
"More anesthetic needed!"  
"Give me some bandages!" Such was the mutterings of the healers.  
  
As Hitomi and her feline friend approached the bed, Merle yelled, "Move aside! Coming through!" As she cleared a path through the disgruntled healers to Lord Van.  
  
"Oh Van..." Hitomi muttered.  
"Aishiteru..."  
  
"You'll have to leave little girl, no visitors allowed." Sneered a healer.  
  
"FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THIS IS HITOMI KANZAKI, THE GIRL FROM THE MYSTIC MOON, WHO HELPED US DURING THE DESTINY WAR AND SAVED LORD VAN'S LIFE COUNTLESS TIMES!!!" Merle screeched at the frightened healer.  
  
"Please accept my humblest apologies, milady..." Said the healer as he fell on his knees in a bow.  
  
"It's OK." Hitomi replied, still blushing from Merle's sudden outburst.  
"It'll be all right Van, I'm here now." She whispered to her sleeping lover. She took his hand in hers and sat on the bed beside him, stroking his matted raven hair away from his forehead. Merle shooed the healers and nurses out, knowing that Hitomi could do more for Lord Van than all of them combined. She soon exited the room seeing that Lord Van was in good hands.  
  
Hitomi gazed at Van. He sure hadn't changed much in three years. He still had the same flyaway hair that hung in his eyes no matter what he did. He looked like he'd grown a few inches since the last time she'd sawn him, and he had the same tan pants. His face hadn't changed much either, and she knew that if he opened his eyes, she'd be looking into the same chocolate eyes she'd seen when she was fifteen. She saw a gold chain around his neck. It looked strangely familiar, and then she saw the pinkish-red pendant attached to it. 'He kept it this whole time...' The pendant that had gone from Allen's father, to her grandmother, to herself, then it had gone to her one true love, Van...   
  
A/N: Well, I hope you liked it, and I hope I cleared up the Amano thing, thanks! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  



	3. Arms Outstretched

Disclaimer: If I owned Escaflowne, you could be sure that Van and Hitomi would never be separated and I'd throw Allen to some rabid wolves... (Sorry Allen fans, there won't be any Allen bashing in this fic, I just don't like him, he's always getting in the way of V/H's romance...), but sadly, I don't, so I'll continue to wait in hopes that Bandai will make a sequel series, and suffer watching Van and Hitomi being separated as I watch "Forever and Ever" over and over...   
  
A/N: Well, thanks for the reviews hope the fic lives (not like a fic lives) up to your expectations! I'll add as much as I can when I get the chance to this fic, but I have 2 other fics I'm working on, and stupid school started, * sigh *, I just write in my binder when my teachers get more boring than usual... flashback //vision// * dream *Well, R&R! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 3: Arms Outstretched  
  
Van was breathing heavily, like every breath was a struggle, every gasp a mountain to climb. Hitomi sighed sadly; knowing it was her fault that Van was even in this predicament. 'Why did I ever leave him? I've caused him so much pain, and I've been miserable to whole time! There was no reason for either of us to endure all this needless suffering... I was so stupid...'   
  
Hitomi remembered the many times she had fallen asleep at night, shrouded in a cloak of loneliness and despair. She'd seen his face, oh so many times. His boyish smile, radiating across his features... He was always coming for her, arms outstretched, laughing as if their separation was all one big game and that he had won... He called out her name excitedly in anticipation. His sword clanged in it's hilt at his side, but he seemed not to notice the racket it was making, he was focused on her, he cared only about her, and reaching her... She returned his joyous smile and started running across the emptiness tot reach him... Her fears and worries melted away as she took in those eyes of his, they were mesmerizing... He was halfway there, his red shirt ruffled in the breeze, he starting calling out to her louder than ever, "HITOMI! HITOMI! HITOMI!" She'd run farther and she had almost reached him, she'd be running into his arms when he'd vanish before her eyes.  
  
Worriedly she'd call out, "VAN? VAN? WHERE ARE YOU?"   
  
The endless white emptiness would suddenly become pitch black at the time in her dream and red rain would fall. It covered her, she couldn't escape it, and everything around her was a deep crimson hue.  
A haunting voice would fill the blackness, it would cackle loudly, as it seemed pleased at the red puddles surrounding it.  
"HITOMI KANZAKI! I HATE YOU! YOU'VE TAKEN WHAT'S MINE! AND I SWEAR! I SWEAR HITOMI KANZAKI! SOMEDAY, I'LL GET MY REVENGE!" Suddenly, an icy grip would take hold of her neck, the hands holding her were invisible, she couldn't see them, but she knew they were there. They gripped her neck tighter and she screamed as her bones cracked. Blood gushed down her dry throat and she whispered, "Van..." Before she fell dead on the ground. At this point, she always woke up; beads of sweat covering her brow, panting for breath. It all seemed so real, so very real... She had had that dream so many times, it haunted her memories and for the first two years, she had always talked to Van after having it. He didn't seem to mind when she woke him from his peaceful slumber, he was always so comforting, telling her that nothing bad was going to happen to him and that she shouldn't worry. When their conversation had ended, she had always fell asleep, feeling so much better, from an angel's comfort.   
  
She looked around his room, admiring his taste. There were many portraits and swords covering the walls. It all seemed to be in the Fanelian royal colors. A model of Escaflowne sat on his bureau and Hitomi fondly remembered the white dragon, that had come to their aid to help them win the Destiny war, but it had caused such great suffering for Van, she had often wondered if it was worth it... But she put that behind her now, looking forward to the future... She hoped that her future laid with Van, she believed it truly did...  
  
Van stirred in his sleep, groaning, as Hitomi brought a hand to his forehead. She turned slightly pale as she noticed that he was burning up. She took a rag that a nurse had dropped off the floor and dipped it in cold water, dabbing it on his forehead. 'Oh Van, I just know you're going to pull through, I just know it...' She reassured herself. Van had an angelic look on his face, like he had no worries, no problems, Hitomi quietly laughed. Van had so many problems at times she was surprised that he even had this expression. His family was dead, he was gravely ill, from what Merle had told her before he got sick his advisors had bothered him endlessly, Merle never allowed him a moment of freedom, his love had left him for another world...   
"What next Van? What next?" She asked in sympathy.  
  
Hitomi was suddenly sent reeling into one of her famous visions:  
//It was Van, he smiled at her, as he gently kissed her. He slid a ring on her finger and cheers echoed around them. //   
She wondered what was happening. Then, it hit her; she was getting married, becoming Van's wife... 'Well for once I had a happy vision,' she observed, still in awe in what she had just seen.  
'It looks like Van and I have a happy ending...' She sighed in contentment, flopping down on the bed next to him. Suddenly, he started screaming, as if he was fighting an enemy in his dreams. That scream was so heart wrenching, it sent Hitomi sobbing in despair.  
  
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Merle was barricading the door with her body to keep the advisors, servants, nurses, and healers out after they heard Lord Van's screams. She was happy to see how loyal they were to their king, but they tended to overreact at times. Like the time Van had wanted to attend a local festival, his advisors had pleaded with him not to go, "It was too dangerous," they had insisted. Merle remembered Van's angry look at them as he took flight out the window, leaving his advisors quite flustered at their king's stubbornness.  
"LADY MERLE! LET US IN!" A butler insisted, trying to grab the door handle, Merle scratched him across the hand and he whimpered, clutching his hand as a faint trace of blood dribbled down it.  
  
"You're the butler, I'm the king's chief advisor, WHEN I TELL YOU NOT TO GO IN, YOU DON'T GO IN!" She snarled. The nurses huffed and the healers shot angry glances at Merle as the group walked away, once again leaving Lord Van and Lady Hitomi in peace.  
  
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Van's Dream:  
* He was running towards Hitomi, she smiled laughing as she happily strode towards him... Suddenly, the ground shook and the ground cracked beneath Hitomi, and she began to fall. He cried out, but his wings wouldn't work, he reached out his hand to grab her, but she slipped through his grasp, and plummeted downward into the blackness... *  
  
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A/N: Well, it's 11: 48 here, * phew * this took a while, even though it's not very long, I made it up from scratch, cuz I looked back on what I wrote and decided it was too quickly going forward and too repetitive, gotta add to Folkie's Birthday so I can call it a night. Please review! More tomorrow! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Awakening

Disclaimer: * Bangs her head on a nearby table * I don't own Esca, sue me and die! Umm... * cough cough *  
  
A/N: Well, I'm sorry it took me so long to add this, MAJOR writer's block, and I kept getting ideas for "Wings of an Angel" and "Folkie's Birthday" and I kind of ignored this fic... But to my few loyal readers, here we go... R&R! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 4: Awakening  
  
Van continued to scream, his eyes wide open; yet glazed over. He was awake, and yet, not there. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he shivered. Hitomi was sobbing, she didn't know what to do, she just didn't know what to do. So she did what she thought was best... She sat in the bed next to him, cradling him in her arms as he whimpered, biting his lip, eyes closed, he didn't seem to be awake, he was in a sort of trance she supposed, brought on by the seriousness of his illness. He clung to her like a small child, needing to be in his mother's warm embrace to make him feel better.  
  
//Van opened his amber eyes and blinked several times to clear the image.  
"Are you an angel?" He asked, in confusion, trying to get the person before him into focus.  
"Am I in heaven?" He looked around him, expecting to see some people flying around in white robes or something.  
  
"No..." A kind woman called out to him, blackness had surrounded him again, leaving him in a void of desperation and despair.  
"Come to the light Van..." She beckoned to him.  
"Come..." At the end of the blackness, he could see a faint light, and he started running towards it, knowing that the angel would be waiting for him at the end. A shadowy figure leaped in his pass, beckoning him with his scythe, hiding beneath a dark cloak. He reached out a bony finger, gesturing for Van to come with him.  
"NO!" The angel screamed.  
"IT'S NOT HIS TIME YET!" She was cloaked in white and Van couldn't see her face. Ivory wings burst from her back as she flew towards him. She came closer and closer, but the bony finger kept pointing at him, and for some reason, Van thought he should follow the man. He made to take a step in his direction when he saw that the angel had almost reached him.  
"VAN!" She cried out, as she reached out her hand to him. He trusted the angel, maybe it was the way she called out to him, or her wings, or just that he wanted to go to that light, but that made him grab her hand. The black world shattered and the black cloaked man vanished, leaving nothing behind but Van, the angel still holding him protectively in her arms...//  
  
"Van? Van, wake up!" A familiar voice called out to him.  
"C'mon Van, please wake up!" The voice pleaded with him.  
  
'Probably Merle...' Van sighed in resentment. He decided to give her the satisfaction of opening his eyes and did thus. He was surprised to not see the familiar face of his cat companion and chief advisor, but that of a woman around his age. She had chestnut brown hair, and deep green eyes that he'd like to stare into for quite a while if given the chance. She looked oddly familiar, but no... it couldn't be... But yes, it had to be... it was his true love, it was Hitomi...  
"Hitomi?" He whispered in astonishment.  
  
"Nice to see you too Van..." She whispered back, tilting her head to one side for a kiss.  
  
Van was tempted, but now was not the time for romantic endeavors.  
"Hitomi, how did you get here?" He asked in confusion.  
  
Hitomi had a hurt look on her face. 'Maybe he has gotten over me, after all, I almost moved on... almost...'  
"I thought... that you'd want me to come back..." She muttered in regret that she had thrown away her life on earth to come back to a man who just didn't care about her anymore.  
  
"It's not that... It's just, how and why and..." She cut him off by firmly kissing him, she was not to be dissuaded this time... Van's soul caught on fire and he just sat there numbly, letting her kiss him, not caring if his meaningless questions were answered. What did it matter? All that mattered was that Hitomi was back with him. He then noticed what she was wearing. (A/N: Yes, at the reader's request...) It was a beautiful white dress, and a veil covered her face. He thought he'd seen such an ensemble in a book once, but he didn't remember where... She looked beautiful, but her outfit still puzzled him... Why was she dressed like this?  
"Uh... Hitomi?" Van asked in confusion.  
  
"Yes Van?" Hitomi asked, breaking from their kiss.  
  
"What's with the frills?"  
  
"Oh, that..." Hitomi blushed madly and didn't know what would be the right thing to say, she didn't know if there WAS a right thing to say under these circumstances...  
"Well... I... That is, I..."  
  
"Something tells me, I don't even want to know..." Van replied.  
"And to think I thought your skirt and that floppy pink bow was weird..." He groaned as he tried to stand up.  
  
"Forget that for now..." She reprimanded.  
"You need your rest... You almost died you know..." She said, holding him closer.  
  
"Never would have know..." He sarcastically replied, taking this moment to study her. Her hair had grown longer over the years, and she had a more mature look about her, but besides that, not much else had changed.  
"Hitomi... You look great..."  
  
"Thanks." She muttered, a red blush covering her cheeks.  
  
"Hitomi? Were you crying?" He asked in concern, noticing her puffy eyes with a red look about them.  
  
"Oh, of course not..." She replied, regaining her composure.  
  
"You were, weren't you?" He asked as more of a statement than a question.  
  
"Well... yeah..." She replied, unsure of herself.  
  
"My poor, sweet Hitomi. Constantly suffering anguish and grief." He murmured, pulling his arms around her.  
  
"Oh Van. I missed you." She whispered, softly crying into his shoulder.  
  
"I missed you too Hitomi, I'll never let you go again..." He softly replied, soothing the troubled girl.  
  
"I was... so... scared..." She muttered, before collapsing into a state of exhaustion in his arms.  
  
"It's all right love, now that you're here, everything will be all right... Because... I love you..." He whispered, even though he knew she couldn't hear him now.  
  
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Merle started to enter the room, but saw Hitomi sleeping in Van's arms and turned around, shutting the door behind her, her announcement that Sir Allen had arrived could wait. Van and Hitomi's love was MUCH more important.   
  
She walked down the corridor and looked into the rooms as she passed by them. There was her room, draped in stripe patterns and covered with pictures of her many boyfriends, she was a very attractive catwoman now, and all the boys were clamoring to go out with her. There was the advisor's barracks. Van wasn't particularly fond of his advisers, he preferred to listen to the wise advice of his fellow samurai, so except for Merle, the advisers were crammed into about 20 different bunks in a couple of very simple connected rooms. There was the soldier's barracks and the samurai barracks, not much different from the advisers' except they were more nicely furnished since Lord Van respected them more. There were several guest rooms made for when those annoying royal pests came to visit or propose a marriage to their princess with Lord Van, he tried to discourage them by keeping the rooms few in number and very dull indeed. Their was the healer's ward, where the healers treated all those who ailed and their beds were in the room, in case they had to spring from their slumber to heal someone. All of Van's friends and allies had their own private chambers, for they visited often before and after Van fell prey to sickness. There was a room for Allen, Millerna, Dryden, Chid, the crusade had their own dorm, and there was one for Allen's little sister Selena. The most beautiful room of all however, was Hitomi's... As soon as Hitomi had left, Van was certain that she would return and had begun construction on a room for her third arrival... It was next to his, with a personal bathroom and huge bay windows that looked out over all of Fanelia which they had finished rebuilding a short while ago. On another side of the room, there was another window, overlooking the gardens. Merle loved the gardens, there were little gazebos and ponds, and thousands of flowers and trees. Lord Van took great pride in that garden. Hitomi's room was a light blue, with intricate paintings covering the walls and ceiling. It had lilies resupplied in the many vases it contained daily as well. There was a wardrobe filled with beautiful dresses that any girl would be envious of, even though the owner of the many gowns may never wear them. There was a lovely four-poster draped with fine sheets and covers, with a sheet she could drape around it for privacy if needed. It was such a lovely room, she hoped that the green-eyed girl would someday occupy it and Lord Van wouldn't be so sad any longer...  
  
She finally entered the parlor, where Allen was sitting impatiently, waiting for Van to show up. A knight of Caeli does not like to be kept waiting. Merle reentered the vast hall and Allen looked up, eager for information.  
  
"Lord Van and Lady Hitomi are engaged in private matters that do not concern you." She stated in her most diplomatic voice.  
"They could be awhile, and since you know that Lord Van is terribly ill, when you do see him, go easy on him, he can't take all the stress you dish out..."  
  
"Of course not Lady Merle. I understand that King Van is ailing. I didn't even know until I arrived that Hitomi had returned. How is she?" He replied giving the most chivalrous bow, he could muster.  
"I will await the Lord and Hitomi in eager anticipation." Bowing again he sat down, staring into the flames on the hearth...  
  
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A/N: Don't worry loyal V/H romance lovers, this will NOT I repeat NOT turn into a A/H fic, * shudder shudder * I will try to portray Allen in character, but just to let you know, I hate his guts, he won't be appearing in this fic often... Well, this was a chapter that I hoped you enjoyed, personally it wasn't my favorite, but I liked in anyways... Keep reviewing and stay tuned... Thanks! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  
  



	5. Misunderstandings

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca, it's hard to bear, but it's true...  
  
A/N: You should be SO proud of me, I managed to add a chapter to EACH of my fics in one day. That must be some kind of record for me... * shrugs * Well, time is short, here we go... R&R!  
Note: Aishiteru means "I love you" for those of you who don't know...  
  
Chapter 5: Misunderstandings  
  
Van held Hitomi in his arms as she slept. Being near her was all he needed for TRUE happiness. If he could spend the rest of his life just being close to her, he'd be content. She was intoxicating, he didn't know why... Maybe it was her laugh or her smile, or how she always seemed so cheerful, liking him for who he was, not caring if he was king or not... Yes, she was a keeper; he'd never let his emerald-eyed angel go...  
He held her closer as she whispered, "Aishiteru Van..."  
  
He blushed, not knowing what to make of this confession.  
"I love you too Hitomi..." He whispered.  
  
"You do?" She muttered, still half asleep.  
  
"Yes." He whispered into her ear.  
  
"How long?"  
  
"Forever. Forever and ever..."  
  
"Me too..." She whispered, kissing him again.  
  
"Oh Van, I have to tell you..." She said.  
  
"Tell me what?" He asked gently.  
  
"Well... when I went back, after a while I didn't think you loved me anymore so I... umm... started going out with someone else, and we were... umm... going to get married... but you see..."  
  
Van instantly let go of her.  
"Am I that easily replaced?" He asked indignantly.  
  
"No Van, it's just..."  
  
"Oh, I see... You just pitied poor little Van and came back just to break his heart again..."  
  
"No Van, that's not true!" She cried out, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"Yes it is. You want to go back to Mr. Wonderful right now I'm sure! So fine! Just leave!" He exclaimed harsher than he intended as he ran out of the room.  
  
"Van..." She whispered, before collapsing on the bed sobbing.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hey, Van!" Allen called out as the raven-haired boy ran past him out the door.  
"What's wrong with him?" Allen asked Merle.  
  
"I don't know..." She replied.  
"But I'm going to find out!" And with a meow, she headed after Lord Van.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: OK, that probably is the shortest chapter I ever have, or ever will write, it's 12:30 and I just wanted to add to this, so bear with me, more tomorrow! YAY A DAY OFF! R&R! Arigatou and Sionara! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  



	6. Memories of Loss

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca, if I did, Van and Hitomi would always be together... But that's just my fantasy, stupid Bandai doesn't seem to care that they left their thousands of fans in suspense... Well, I own any original characters, there probably won't be many if any in this chapter though...  
  
A/N: Enjoy, and thanks for the reviews! Flashback R&R! Arigatou! ^_^  
  
Chapter 6: Memories of Loss  
  
"MEOW!" Merle called out as she scampered through the dense gardens of the Fanelian palace. It was more like a forest than gardens though. Merle had many happy childhood memories here. Playing with Lord Van in the flowers, climbing trees and ripping her skirt then turning red in embarrassment... Van had really wanted them to look as beautiful as they had when they were little children, so long ago...   
"I'm only 16 and already I feel like I'm an old geezer..." Merle huffed.   
War aged everyone, she supposed. One minute she was a little kitten thinking that Van-Sama was hers for the taking, the next minute that tomboy showed up and her world was flipped upside down.  
'I guess it was all for the best in the end...' Merle thought.  
'Lord Van and I just wouldn't have made a very good couple, me being part cat and he being king...'  
'I've just got to get him and Hitomi together!' She grinned dubiously at her plot and began searching for the king lost in the endless maze of gardens.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Hitomi sobbed into her pillow. Why did all the bad things seem to happen to her? She was reeled back into a turrent of memories that made her laugh, made her cry, made her break apart...  
  
"Gwandma! Look Gwandma! Look at my drawing!" Chibi Hitomi cried out in excitement, holding up a drawing to show her grandmother.  
  
"That's very good Hitomi, I'm so proud of you!" Her grandmother said, looking at the picture, smiling at the five-year-old. She let out a small gasp, after studying the picture more thoroughly. It was a lovely drawing for someone of Hitomi's age. It showed a little girl, smiling, who looked quite like Hitomi, standing by a tree. This wasn't what alarmed her... It was the fact that two moons were hanging in the sky in Hitomi's drawing...  
"Hitomi-Chan? Why did you put two moons in the sky?" Her grandmother asked.  
  
"I don't know Gwandma, It just feels right..." Hitomi commented, before starting to draw another picture. Hitomi's grandmother gave her an odd look, hoping that Hitomi's destiny would not lead her in the same path as her own had...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hey, move over squirt, my soap's on!" Hitomi insisted, pushing her brother aside.  
  
"Who made you queen of the world?" Her brother Uzaki asked, claiming his seat in front of the TV.  
  
"I'm self-proclaimed!" She said, laughing after grabbing the remote and changing the channel.  
  
"Well, I'm challenging you for your title!" He proclaimed, throwing a pillow at his sister.  
  
The pillow fight had continued for quite a while, until they were exhausted, and fell to the ground, gasping for air, and settled on a video instead...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Oh mom..." Hitomi sniffled, holding back tears.  
"Dad..."  
"I miss you..."  
She kneeled at her parent's graves. Her emerald eyes threatening to overflow.  
  
"It's gonna be OK, Hitomi, It'll be all right..." Hitomi's grandmother comforted her grieving granddaughter who only had herself and Uzaki left to rely on familywise.  
  
"It's all my fault grandma... It I hadn't offered to watch Uzaki so I could throw a party while they were out, this whole thing wouldn't have happened..."  
  
"Now Hitomi, you know that's not true..."  
"If you hadn't, then your parents might have taken you and Uzaki too, and you could all be dead..."  
  
"But at least we'd all be together..." Hitomi whispered.  
"Grandma, I want to leave this whole world behind..."  
  
"You know you can, if you want to..." Her grandmother wisely replied.  
  
"What d-do you mean?" Hitomi stuttered.  
  
"You can go back to Gaea, so why don't you Hitomi? We both know you're miserable here..."  
  
"I can't just leave... Mom and Dad thought that Amano would make me happy..."  
  
"But what would make YOU happy, Hitomi?" Her grandmother asked.  
  
"Even if I DID want to leave, I couldn't just abandon you and Uzaki, you need me, it would be so selfish..." Hitomi said, more to herself than her grandmother.  
  
"Oh Hitomi! You've got your whole life ahead of you... Don't waste it like I did..."  
A tear came to her eye as she muttered, "Leon..." Under her breath.  
  
"Oh grandma, the heartache will heal over time, I'm sure of it..." Hitomi comforted her Leon-deprived grandmother.  
  
"Oh Hitomi, old scars never heal..." She whispered.  
  
"I know... I know..." She replied.  
"Van..."  
  
"Come on Hitomi, destiny meant for you to be together..."  
"It's in the stars..."  
  
"The stars, huh?" Hitomi looked up in wonder at the dark blue velvety sky littered with sparkling orbs that us mere mortals call stars.  
  
"If you wish hard enough, they'll give you the last of their powers... The powers of the stars..."  
  
"The power of the stars..." Chid repeated, looking up at the sky in awe.   
  
Hitomi's tears went 'Pitter, patter' on the damp ground  
"Oh Van, I need you..." She whispered, before falling asleep, the night air like a warm blanket, keeping her content.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hey Hitomi, I heard that Amano asked you to the school dance!" 13-year-old Yukari exclaimed slyly.  
  
"Where'd you hear that?" Hitomi asked, her cheeks turning a bright red.  
  
"Well, c'mon Hitomi! Everybody knows that you and Amano have a 'thing' for eachother!" Yukari said in happiness for her friend.  
  
"Well yeah, he did ask me, but don't make such a big deal out of it Yukari, it's not like he asked me to marry him or something!" She said in frustration to her friend bouncing up and down in excitement.  
  
"You two were destined to be together! I just know it!" Yukari said, with a dreamy look in her eyes.  
  
"Oh Yukari, you're such a romantic..." Hitomi said stubbornly, blowing her chestnut bangs out of her eyes.  
  
"So what if I am?" Yukari asked indignantly.  
  
"So, there are others things in life than love... Although Amano is cute..." She turned bright red as her thoughts slipped out.  
  
"Hey, is it hot in here, or are you blushing Hitomi?" Yukari asked in a singsong voice.  
  
"But Yukari, Amano's older than me too, I just don't know if our relationship would ever work out..." She quoted out of a magazine she'd read recently.  
  
"Face the music Hitomi! You love Amano, Amano loves you, someday you'll end up getting married and your kids will ask you how you and daddy got together and you'll say, 'It was all thanks to Auntie Yukari!'" Yukari proclaimed.  
  
"Yukari, you're taking this too far!"  
  
"No I'm not..." She replied in her voice when she was trying to bug Hitomi.  
  
They erupted in giggles and a pillow fight commenced, and they collapsed on the floor, smiling, thinking of what the future held in store for them...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Grandma? Grandma?" Hitomi asked, walking through the empty halls when she got home from school, looking for her grandmother.  
"GRANDMA!" She shrieked as she entered her grandmother's room.   
  
She was lying on the floor. A dagger in her chest. Lying in a pool of crimson blood. Gray hair flailing about wildly. But oddly enough, she was smiling, the first time she had smiled in years. She seemed to have been trying to say something as she died, and Hitomi saw through it. She was trying to say, 'Leon...' as she breathed her last breath.  
  
"I'm happy for you grandmother... You're finally with the man you love..." She whispered, shuddering at how desperate this lover had become for the one she loved so dearly.  
"Oh Van, I just know our story will have a happier ending than this..." And she left the room.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"And I was thinking we could have the wedding in that little church on the corner of west and vine... Hey Hitomi, are you listening to me?" Amano asked indignantly.  
  
"Oh, of course I am Amano, just planning it out..." She replied, going back to her Van fantasies. Those strong arms wrapping around her, whispering into her ear the words she wanted to hear, of love, and longing, and devotion... Flying with him into the heavens, being with him forever, and ever...   
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Hitomi dried her eyes, she must move towards the future, and not dwell on the past in this pathetic manner.  
"Believe in him Hitomi... Believe in the boy you love, just like I did..." Her grandmother smiled in the vision, holding onto Leon Schezar tightly as they disappeared after her message had been given.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: Here you go readers! Next chapter coming up this weekend! It's Friday! Woohoo! Got to go to the school dance... But I'll upload this before I leave... Anways, Review! Arigatou! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  



	7. Confession

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca, if I did, I would be the happiest girl alive and I'd make all my lazy writers get working on the sequel faster! They're sooooo slow! It had better be good considering how long they have had to work on it... If you think I've gone off the deep end then visit http://members.aol.com/Evenstar13/ go to the "Story" page and click on articles and you'll understand what I mean...  
  
A/N: Here is the next chapter of my fic, hope you enjoy it! If these are a little slow coming out, please understand I have three other fics on ff.net I have to work on, and a ton of others waiting to be typed... And NO this is NOT the last chapter, although it may look like it at the end, there is MUCH more to cover... But DON'T worry, it won't be THAT long, especially compared to "Wings of an Angel" to those of my readers who are giving me exasperated looks that say I write WAY too much... So, enjoy! R&R! Thanks! ^_^  
  
Chapter 7: Confession  
  
After quite a long while, Merle FINALLY caught up with Van, panting from exerting herself so much.  
"Lord...gasp...Van...pant...what's the matter?" She asked, grabbing onto his arm.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong at all." He replied.  
  
"Lord Van!" She screamed exasperatedly.  
"I wasn't born yesterday y'know!"  
"Something's up with you and if you won't tell me, I'll make you!" She growled after this comment, flashing a claw dangerously.  
  
Van gave her a blank look, never have experienced Merle threatening him like this before.  
"All right, All right, It's Hitomi..." He replied, looking at her with pain in his amber eyes.  
  
"What about Hitomi?" Merle asked in concern.  
"Was she mean to you Lord Van?" She asked in a threatening voice.  
"Did she break your heart again? If she did, I'll make her pay!"  
  
"No Merle, it's just, well..." He shifted from foot to foot.  
"I think she might have moved on and forgotten about me..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Merle asked, having no idea what he meant, considering the emotions Hitomi had been showing earlier.  
  
"I think she's found someone else, I really shouldn't have expected her to wait for me..." He muttered.  
  
"LORD VAN!" Merle screamed, giving him a frustrated sigh.  
'Why is it SO hard to pair those two up, it's just one problem after another!' She cursed under her breath.  
"HITOMI CARES ABOUT YOU! DUH! WHY DO YOU THINK SHE JUST SHOWED UP LIKE THAT! 'Oh Hi Van! I just showed up to tell you that I have a boyfriend now and I'm dumping you! So, bye!'"  
"She loves you Lord Van! Isn't it obvious enough! She left her whole world behind just so she could be with you!"   
  
Merle gasped for breath, still not having recovered from her long run. Van looked quite dumbstruck at the moment, unsure of what to say.  
"Look..." She said in impatience.  
"Go to Hitomi, tell her you're madly in love with her, and marry the girl, for crying out loud! It's not THAT complicated!" She then ran off, leaving Van still quite dazed and confused.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Jeez!" Merle muttered as she scampered away.  
"Lord Van may be a genius in battle, but he's an idiot with girls!"  
"I may have to work on this from the other end of the stick. She skidded to a halt when she reached Hitomi's room and swore she could hear sobbing through the thick oak door.  
"HITOMI!" She asked, in her loud annoying catlike voice.  
"WHAT'S WRONG?" Although she already knew the answer. Lord Van had run away from her, and she was hurt, it was really quite simple.  
  
"Go away Merle!" Hitomi muttered, her voice muffled by the pillow she was speaking into.  
  
"WHY?" Merle called back.  
  
"BECAUSE!"  
  
"BECAUSE WHY?" Merle asked, knowing she would get an explanation eventually.  
  
"Because I've just been rejected by the guy I'm in love with, OK?" Hitomi screamed, returning to her sobbing.  
  
"Ugh. People are sooooooooooo dumb!" Merle said under her breath.  
"Hitomi! Van thinks YOU rejected HIM!"  
"What is wrong with the two of you anyway? Do I have to do EVERYTHING for you?" She asked in half frustration, half pity for the impossible couple.  
"Go to Lord Van, Hitomi. He cares about you, and you should know that by now..." Merle said in a more gentle tone.  
"Go to him, and be happy..." She whispered. The rest was up to them; she'd try not to interfere any longer.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Hitomi lay on her bed, looking up at the ceiling; 'Does Van really love me?' She wondered to herself. A knock resounded on the door.  
  
It was an all too familiar voice.  
"Hitomi? Can I come in?"  
  
Hitomi was about to scream 'NO!' and fly into a fit of rage for he had treated her, but thought better of it thinking of how sweet and helpless he looked when he was sick and she was taking care of him.  
With a reluctant sigh she replied, "Sure Van, come on in..."   
The door opened and Van's figure stepped through the doorway, eyeing her with apprehension.  
"It's all right Van. I know it was just one big misunderstanding." She smiled at him and Van went weak at the knees.  
  
"What is it about you?" He asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Hitomi asked, perplexed at his outburst's meaning.  
  
"How come every time I'm with you..." He began walking over to her and raising her chin up with his hand so she'd look him in the eye.  
"... I realize that I can't live without you?"  
  
She looking into his shining amber eyes, seeing the love reflected in them.  
"Hitomi... I could have the world, and it still wouldn't be enough without you there beside me... Please Hitomi... Please be mine..." He asked, sincerity echoing in his voice.  
  
"Oh Van..." She whispered, running her hand through his raven hair a tear making its way down her cheek.  
  
"God Hitomi... What did I say now?" He asked in concern.  
  
"Oh Van... My life will never be complete, unless I'm with you..." She said.  
"I'm yours forever, Van Fanel..."  
Van took that as his cue and wrapping his arms around her, kissed her. It may have been hours, it may have been seconds, but it seemed like an eternity of bliss to the lovers, who finally knew where they belonged...   
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: Well, next chapter coming up... Don't know if it will be tonight, * probably * but DEFINITELY tomorrow... Have to work on Folkie's B-Day and Wings of an Angel next, then the rotation begins again... I have a ton of ideas brewing in my head, waiting to be typed, so I'd like to finish these four in the next few weeks... They are taking QUITE a while, but hey, I love writing them, so what the heck? Anyway, review (no flames please) and thank you loyal readers, you inspire me to continue this! Arigatou! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  



	8. Trouble Brews

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca  
  
A/N: It looks like I'll be able to add to this every other day, so bear with me here... Enjoy and please review! Thanks! ^_^  
  
Chapter 8: Trouble Brews  
  
Hitomi was still wrapped in Van's warm embrace when the screaming began.  
"CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU HITOMI KANZAKI AND VAN FANEL! CURSE YOU BOTH TO HELL!" She screamed in fury.  
"I'LL GET MY REVENGE! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW!" She cackled with glee as Hitomi's eyes went wide in fear and pain and she fainted.  
  
Hitomi's lips had gone cold.  
"Hitomi?" Van asked, waving his hand in front of her face.  
'Where have I seen this before?' Van wondered, when it hit him.  
'Of course, Freid!' This did nothing to reassure him and Van checked her pulse, there was none...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Idaku! Nurei! Come my minions! Come and serve me once more..." The hissing voice whispered. As her slaves rose from the crypt.  
  
"We will do anything you ask, mistress." The said, bowing to the ground, their heads on the floor.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
** "W-Where am I?" Hitomi asked in wonder, gazing at her surroundings.  
  
"You're in my kingdom Lady Hitomi. And I welcome you. Welcome to Varo." Said a woman who appeared before her.  
"Welcome..."  
  
"What is this place?"  
  
"Like I've said, it's my kingdom, I am queen here. My name is Varona."  
  
"How did you know my name?" Hitomi asked in curiosity.  
  
"You are known all over, my dear Lady Hitomi. I don't know how you came to be in my lovely kingdom in the first place, but know that you are welcomed here as a guest and friend." The lady smiled at Hitomi leading her up the stairs into a glorious palace...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"MERLE! What's wrong?" Van asked, on the brink of tears as Merle and the healers looked over the limp Hitomi.  
  
"I don't know Van-Sama. It's just like that experience you told us about it Freid. She's breathing normally again though. Which is a good sign. She may be in a trance of some sort, and I suggest to not disturb her." The healer started putting instruments back in his bag.  
  
"There's nothing you can do?" Van asked in shock.  
  
"We could do something if we knew what it was." The healer replied.  
"But we don't."  
"We'll take her in for further testing. You may visit her in a few hours." They wheeled the pale Hitomi out of the room as Van stood there, not quite knowing what to do.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: What's the deal with Varona? And what's wrong with Hitomi? Find out next time... OK, to explain to that one question about why Van "magically" recovered so quickly. It's the whole "dream" thing with Le Morte card and the angel. He was about to die, but he was saved there so he just was healed I guess... It made since while writing it, so bear with me here... Hope you liked it, I know it's not that good, it's just kind of starting something, I don't really like it, but I wanted to add something... Gotta go! Please review! Arigatou! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  



	9. A World of its Own

Disclaimer: If I owned Esca, well let's just say it's literally in my dreams. I own any original characters although I'd trade them all for just VAN! SO KAWAII! ^_^;  
  
A/N: Man, I'm sooooooo sorry everybody, I'm just lazy I guess. Four fics I'm working on currently, and I can't seem to end any of them. Four quizzes in one day, my poor little brain is being overloaded. TOO MUCH HOMEWORK! AUGHHHHHHHH! Well here's the next chapter, I hope I didn't lose all of ya. I'll add a couple more this weekend. Review when you're done! Thanks! ^_^  
  
Chapter 9: A World of Its Own  
  
Hitomi followed the Queen up the hundreds of steps, admiring the whiteness all around her. She saw gardens between the wall and the palace itself. A village was seen in the distance with smoke curling up from the chimneys.  
"It's quite picturesque." She commented.  
  
"Why thank you, Lady Hitomi. We just finished rebuilding it all since it was destroyed during the Great War. The villagers have flocked back to their homes from hiding and the palace is now fully restored to all it's majestic glory." The queen smiled proudly at her accomplishments and the chance to display her kingdom for a guest.  
  
"By the way... How do you know my name?" Hitomi asked in puzzlement.  
  
"Why Lady Hitomi, surely you know the stories told about you. Your love for the King of Fanelia and your role in the Destiny War is well known throughout Gaea. I wish I could have a life like that, I've never been outside these palace walls..." Her pride diminished as a sad look passed her face.  
  
"That's terrible. Why won't they let you leave the palace? And by the way, no need for the lady stuff, I'm just Hitomi." Hitomi was still blushing from the tales of Gaea but feeling great pity for her newfound friend.  
  
"It's my mother and father, they don't want me to be 'influenced' as they call out by outsiders. I've never associated with anyone who isn't royalty so meeting you is quite a thrill Lady Hitomi. There are my tutors and servants of course, but we never socialize, forbidden I'm afraid."  
  
"Quite strict aren't they? But wait a minute, how can your parents be alive and you be queen?" Hitomi asked, her head was spinning by now, too much for one sitting.  
  
"Yes quite. It's always been that way. I'm heir to the throne actually, and my father's on his deathbed, so I'm supposed to call myself queen according to the advisors. I'm engaged to be married and I don't know what will happen, will I move to my husband's kingdom or shall I remain here? I'm the only heir to the Varonian throne you know, but I doubt the people will let a foreigner rule. It's so degrading not having a say in your own fate. Not being able to create your own destiny, but having everything decided for you..." She sighed.  
"But look at me, wallowing in self-pity again. I'm a disgrace to my people. Come now, you must be tired, let's get you inside." She started running up the steps two by two, a very un-ladylike thing to do, but she had to enjoy such liberties before they were gone forever on her wedding day.  
  
'Poor girl, she's never gotten to live the life she wanted, and soon it will all be gone.'   
Taking a second look, she thought to herself some more.  
'I can't believe she's getting married, she must be several years younger than me!'  
"Queen Varona!" Hitomi called up to the anxious queen-to-be.  
"How old are you if you don't mind me asking?"  
  
"Oh I don't mind. I'll be sixteen rotations on the day of my wedding, I would have been married long before then, but it is custom to be of that age when wed in Varo. And please don't call me 'Queen' Hitomi, you are my friend, I'm Varona, just Varona." And with a smile, she continued.  
  
'My god, she's not even sixteen, poor, poor thing. Having to grow up so quickly just for the sake of her country. It's just not right that these royals should be stripped of their childhood and have to become adults when they're still teenagers. I'll just have to make the days before her wedding as happy as possible.' She smiled thinking of her newfound quest and ran after the girl.  
  
"Hey, you can run!" Varona observed.  
  
"Yeah." Hitomi agreed as she passed her.  
"I'm on my school's track team on the Mystic Moon!"  
  
"What's a 'track team?'" Varona asked in confusion.  
  
"Oh, it's a team of girls or boys that like to run and race each other. It's a lot of fun."  
  
"Oh." Varona replied.  
"Try running in a dress!" She complained as Hitomi noticed the ankle-length sky blue dress the blonde girl wore. It matched her eyes and made her look like a goddess, but it didn't look like it would be good to run in.  
  
"I know from experience, not an easy task!" Hitomi said, laughing as she thought of her Asturia excursions trying to run in the long pink dress. The girls continued to laugh, they had almost reached the top.  
  
"PRINCESS VARONA!" A commanding voice echoed in front of them.  
  
Hitomi thought she heard Varona mutter, "Oh no." As the gray clothed lady approached them. Her clothing reminded her quite a lot of that of Princess Eries's. A high stiff collar, long sleeves, not very flattering, but Princess Eries wasn't trying for that. She had a gray hat on her head that covered most of her gray hair, her face was tight and her mouth was in a little frown with sharp gray eyes.  
  
"Princess Varona, do you have any idea how worried we were? You left in the middle of your studies with Mr. Burin without a word! Mr. Burin was quite distraught, but being as elderly as he is he could not chase you down. They have all the palace guards looking for you! Your father is quite upset about the whole encounter." She shot Varona and angry glare, eyes blazing in fury.  
  
"Excuse me Lady Rifela, but shouldn't you be addressing me by my proper title? And I was just on the palace steps, I don't think I was in harms way." The girl looked quite angry now at the lady.  
  
"Pardon me Queen Varona, I am forgetting the woman you've become in such a short amount of time. You still should have at least told us you were leaving so we could send you with an escort, really." She seemed quite annoyed.  
  
"For crying out loud, I've only been gone for a few minutes, is all of Varo going to collapse if you don't know where I am every second?! I saw the bright light like was illustrated in my textbook and wondered if someone from the Mystic Moon had shown up, which would be a once in a lifetime event!"  
  
Lady Rifela seemed to notice Hitomi just then.  
"Servant, back to your post, eavesdropping is not encouraged."  
  
Now it was Hitomi's turn to shoot the lady an angry glare and Varona did likewise.  
"THIS IS LADY HITOMI! ARE YOU BLIND OR HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING IN A CAVE FOR ALL THESE YEARS?!"  
  
"Varona, you may be a coming queen but you have no right to speak to me in such a disrespectful manner. I have cared for you since you were born. Your mother never paid you any mind, I was the one left to care for you, feed you, play with you, raise you. She didn't care at all..."  
  
"How dare you speak about my mother in such a disrespectful manner. I could have your head for this!"  
  
"Beg pardon Queen Varona. Let's take your GUEST," She spat out the word, "Lady Hitomi, inside." With that, she flounced off a servant hurriedly following her.  
  
"How I despise that wench!" Varona screamed.  
  
"Man, you have it tough." Hitomi commented.  
  
"Yes, that can be easily affirmed." Varona replied.  
"We better go in before the evil witch comes out and turns us into frogs!" The girls giggled as they entered the vast palace before them.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Van sat outside the door, head in his hands.  
'How could I have let this happen? If my subconscious hadn't called her, we wouldn't be in a predicament like this...' He sighed.  
"WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN THERE?!" He wondered aloud, pressing his ear against the door.  
  
"For crying out loud Lord Van, this is getting pathetic!" Merle exclaimed as she threw open the door, knocking Van to one side.  
  
Getting up Van walked over to the amused catgirl.  
"What's wrong Merle? Is she alright?" He asked in concern shaking her by the shoulders.  
  
"S-Stop s-shaking m-me L-Lord V-Van!" The vibrating catgirl demanded.  
  
"Sorry Merle." He hastily replied, letting go of his friend.  
  
"They still don't know what's wrong with Hitomi. She appears to be in a trance-like state. They think..."  
  
"What Merle? They think what?" Van asked, fear edging his voice.  
  
"They think she's in Varo."  
  
"Oh god no..." He muttered.  
"This cannot be happening..."  
"Why would the gods want HER for their quest?" He asked in puzzlement.  
"Why are they taking MY girl?"  
  
"YOUR girl, Lord Van?" Merle began to snicker as Van turned a bright red when he realized he had voiced his thoughts aloud.  
  
"Lord Van, you know she may not return. Not many do, and she doesn't have a clue about the whole thing, she thinks it's real." A healer said as he emerged from the room.  
  
"Damn it..." Van cursed.  
  
"Please Lord Van, have faith in her, if I know Hitomi, she'll make it. She's the bravest girl I know." Merle said confidently locking Van in her embrace as a lone tear made its way down his cheek.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: Well, I FINALLY got the next chapter out, which means I'll start with Folkie's Birthday and Wings of an Angel tomorrow. * Sigh * It's soooooooo hard to keep up with all these... But I'll manage. Personally, I liked this chapter, but hey it's just MY opinion, it doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. Please review and tell me what ya think! Arigatou! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Settling in

Disclaimer: If I owned Esca, I'd be the happiest girl in the world, but alas, I don't... * Sobs *  
  
A/N: I swear I'll get at least one chapter of this up a week, I wish I could get up more, but my teachers hate me and give me toooooooooooooooooooo much homework, I mean I don't get home till 4:30, then I have after school activities+2 hours of homework=NO TIME FOR ANYTHING!!!!! WAHHHHHHHHH!!! Well here it is, the latest edition! AND PLEASE REVIEW ONCE YOU'RE DONE! IT REALLY MAKES MY DAY! THE MORE REVIEWS I GET, THE MORE LIKELY I AM TO KEEP WORKING ON THIS FIC! Thanks! ^_^  
  
Chapter 10: Settling in  
  
Varona led Hitomi down a maze of corridors.  
'Right, left, right, right, left...'  
'Man, how does she know where she's going?' Hitomi wondered in amazement as they turned for the tenth time in less than five minutes.  
  
"If you're wondering why there are so many turns, it's to discourage thieves and assassins." Varona called over her shoulder at the Hitomi who was quite worn out at this point.  
"Don't worry, it's just a little farther!" Varona added, seeing the exasperation Hitomi was feeling.  
  
"God, I'm out of shape." Hitomi muttered as she ran to keep up with the blonde princess.  
  
"Nah, it's just a long commute, I'm used to it by now." Varona replied as she suddenly halted in front of an oak door.   
  
It had an emblem on it, which Hitomi assumed to be the crest of Varo. A Large V, vines entwining it, Moon in the background, it was quite intricately crafted and Hitomi admired it as any artist would. Varona opened the door to reveal what looked like five rooms all joined together, Hitomi couldn't get over the hugeness of it and her jaw dropped. At the end was a large 4-poster bed that looked similar to Van's back in Fanelia. A handsome man who looked to be in his 30s or 40s lay on it, face pale, a woman holding his hand as she sat in the chair, looking exhausted.  
  
"Mother." Varona greeted the woman softly as she tried not to alarm her.  
  
"VARONA!" The woman cried out happily, clutching the girl to her.  
  
"Mother, you're strangling me..." Varona gasped as her mother released her from her death lock.  
  
"Oh. Sorry dear. I was just SO worried when you just vanished like that, god, I can't lose you too!"  
  
"Mother, I'm fine, I went out for a bit of air, it was stuffy in that classroom."  
  
"THAT GIVES YOU KNOW EXCUSE FOR JUST RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT!" Her mother screamed back.  
  
Hitomi tried to hold back peals of laughter.  
'They're just like me and my mom...'  
  
"And who is this young lady with you?" Her mother inquired, catching a glimpse of Hitomi.  
  
"This," Varona said, gesturing to Hitomi, "Is Hitomi Kanzaki, the seeress from the Mystic Moon, she's engaged to King Van of Fanelia." Hitomi turned pale at these last words, but the queen seemed pleased as she warmly greeted the "future queen."  
  
"Lady Hitomi, I welcome you to our happy kingdom. What do we owe for the pleasure of your visit?" The queen asked in curiosity.  
  
"I really don't know, my queen, I was transported here by that beam of light, just like during the Great War, it really makes no sense. One minute I'm with my fiancé, the next minute, I show up on your doorstep. I hope I haven't greatly inconvenienced you by just showing up like this." Hitomi was a better liar than she thought, she could pretend to be Van's bride, for it's what she had always wanted to be.  
  
"You may stay as long as you like Lady Hitomi, but shall we send a message to Lord Van telling him where you are, I'm sure he's worried."  
  
'She's so thoughtful...' Hitomi thought to herself.  
'I'm sorry to be lying to her like this...'  
"No, It's alright, Van won't worry too much, and I'm sure I'll be home soon."  
  
"We'll start preparing your carriage and such Lady Hitomi, but do please stay a few days." Varona begged the older girl.  
  
"Of course, if I'm not imposing, I'd love to stay."  
  
"Oh, you're not imposing, I'd love to have someone my own age to talk with." Varona continued, blue eyes shining with joy.  
  
"Then it's settled, you'll leave in three days, I'll get the advisors to start making plans for your return." And with that, the queen walked out of the room.  
  
"Your mother seems very kind." Hitomi noted.  
  
"She's always like that around fellow royals and people of importance, she's just plain nasty when it's just us. I'm glad you'll be with us for a while longer Hitomi, it's great to have someone NORMAL to talk to."  
  
"Hey, that reminds me, WHY IN GOD'S NAME DID YOU TELL HER THAT I'M VAN'S FIANCE?" Hitomi asked, flushed in rage.  
  
"She'd respect you more if you were a fellow queen, if I just told her you were a girl from the Mystic Moon she would have treated you like dirt and you probably would've been kicked out of the palace for filling my head with 'dangerous' notions..." Varona said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"I hope I CAN be Van's fiancé, it's been my dream since I left, he's all I think about, he's the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with..." She sighed, looking out the window at the 2 moons.  
  
"I wish I could say the same for Prince Alesto. First prince of Nuvaria, son of King Juro and Queen Hesita de Nuvar. I've been betrothed to him since I was a baby; I've never even met him. He's supposed to be brave, handsome, and charming, but you know how that goes, those morons will do anything for an heir to the throne." Varona leaned against the wall, her hand pressed against her brow in frustration.  
  
"Don't talk about your fiancé so, daughter." A voice mumbled from another part of the room, Hitomi turned around to see the King attempting to sit up in bed.  
"He's a very admirable young man, so I hear."  
  
"Father, you shouldn't be trying to get up, you're sick." Varona chided, making her way over to her ailing father.  
  
"Horse shit." King Varon grumbled.  
"I'm as healthy as a young lad," he groaned as he fell backward.  
  
"No you aren't. Now you've gone and thrown your back out again, stay in bed, I'm GOING to take care of you." She said in a very commanding voice that made you follow her wishes.  
  
"Now when have you ever known what's best?" He gruffly replied, sagging into his pillows.  
"I can still remember when you were just a tot and insisted that there should be a national Candy day throughout the kingdom where everyone was to stuff themselves on sweets all day."  
  
"Hey I was three, what'd you expect?" Varona replied indignantly, swabbing his forehead with a cool cloth. It seemed as though the father and daughter had forgotten that Hitomi was in the room, so she just stood there, quietly observing.  
  
"Daughter, Nuvaria is a mighty empire, with strong rulership, massive amounts of resources, and unlimited influence. The prince of Nuvaria is just what you need in a husband. Your mother and I are doing you a favor by selecting one for you; you don't have enough sense to choose wisely by yourself. Even if we DID trust in your judgement, this betrothal has stood since you were no higher than my knee, it cannot be just broken off in the blink of an eye, years of planning went into it."  
  
"Shouldn't I have control over my own life, my own future? I've never even met this man you've engaged me to, and now you want me to spend the rest of my life with him?"  
  
"In layman's terms, I suppose that's right. It's your duty as a princess, my dear."  
  
"I hate being a princess, it's the most degrading job on this miserable planet."  
  
"You can't escape your duty child, just like your mother couldn't escape her's." He fell asleep then and the girls left the room.  
  
When the door was closed, curiosity got the best of Hitomi and she began to question Varona.  
"What did your father mean about your mother not being able to escape her duty either?"  
  
"Well you see, my mother, Queen Lilona, was in love with Fanelia's King, Lord Gaou..." Hitomi let out a gasp at this familiar name before Varona continued.  
"She was the princess of a duchy called Shidela, off to the east of Basram. She was anxious for her advisors' to propose a marriage between her and Lord Gaou, and they were about to when she received a message from him. It read,   
'To the rulers of all the provinces:  
I have found the love of my life in a woman by the name of Varie. We are engaged to be married and I invite you to the wedding. Please attend for we need royal witnesses, it is on the first Purple Moon.   
May the gods bring prosperity to your lands,  
Lord Gaou de Fanel  
King of Fanelia'  
Mother flew into a fit of rage, and then she received a marriage proposal from King Varo, my father. She had to accept, it was past time for her marriage, so they began to prepare for the wedding, which would be years from then. She still hoped that Lord Gaou would change his mind and reject Lady Varie, but then Lord Folken was born to them and mother knew that he was not going to change his mind. It broke mother's heart, but then she found love from father and they had me years later. Now father's ill and mother is deeply upset."  
  
"That explains a lot." Hitomi said. She was led to a room down the hallway and Varona opened the door.  
"You'll be staying here during your stay Hitomi, I'll give you time to settle in and return for you at dinner. Ring if you need anything." She said, gesturing at a bell.  
  
"Thank you." Hitomi quietly replied as Varona walked away. She flopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.  
"Oh Van, I wish I was with you right now..." As an image of the raven-haired angel flashed before her and in complete exhaustion, she fell asleep...  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Lord Van, c'mon get some rest, it won't do you any good to just sit there staring at her." Merle said impatiently to the stubborn king who hadn't left Hitomi's side since she had been put back in her own room.  
  
"It's all my fault Hitomi's in this position," He replied in a firm tone.  
"I refuse to leave her side until she's better."  
  
"But Lord Van! SHE COULD BE LIKE THIS FOR WEEKS!" Merle screamed in exasperation.  
  
"Then so be it." Van replied, returning his gaze to the emerald-eyed girl.  
  
"Oh Lord Van..." Merle muttered as she walked out of the room.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: Sorry, I know that wasn't very good, action is coming up, I must build upon the boring dialogue first though... So, be patient and review! Thanks! Ja ne! ^_^  
~Trunks Gal~  
  



	11. Plans and Prophecies

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, but I DO own all original characters/places.  
  
A/N: Man, I am sooooooo cruel and evil. I'm REALLY sorry you guys who are reading this. I've had so much writer's block with this fic it's not even funny. School has been taking control of my already hectic life along with clarinet, drama, literary magazine, school newspaper, gymnastics, tennis, Japanese lessons, housework (blech!) and of course my social life. I keep starting new fics or adding to my DBZ ones and ignoring my Esca fics. I feel really bad about this and if there's anything I can do to make it up to you peeps, PLEASE let me know. Again, gomen nasai, I hope you'll forgive me. Here's the next chapter! Review!  
  
Chapter 11: Plans and Prophecies  
  
"She looks like a worthy candidate. Perhaps this foolish mortal WILL accomplish her task." A thin, raspy voice muttered.  
  
"I doubt it. You know those Mystic Moon people are weaklings! If hundreds of Gaeans have tried, and only a handful succeeded, what hope does this wench have?" A skinny old hag shrieked.  
  
"Fanelia's king seems quite taken with her. Too bad he'll never see her again." A more gentle voice commented with a sad sigh.  
  
"Honestly Shiva, you are a hopeless romantic." A shorter woman replied as she hobbled over to the group.  
  
"So what if I am. I believe in true love." Shiva looked through the mirror that showed them the boy and the girl.  
  
"There is but one man for every woman, and one woman for every man."  
  
"Sometimes I wonder why you're even here sister." The tall skinny hag named Beai snorted.  
  
"I'm TRYING to keep you old maids from wrecking everyone else's love lives. But so far, I haven't been helping much." Shiva was discontented with her small success so far in keeping these ladies in line.  
  
"Relax sister. This is our job, why not have a little fun?" Beai cackled as the women circled the image of the two lovers and began their incantations.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Hitomi gazed at the clock, watching the second hand slowly make its way around the circle. The endless ticking seemed to click ever into eternity, every second reminding her that she was missing one second she could be spending with Van.  
  
"I guess time never stands still." She sighed loudly and falling onto her back, she accidentally rolled off the bed.  
  
"Ow!" She exclaimed, rubbing her head, she found a book lying abandon under her bed, and wondered how the handmaidens could have possibly missed it while cleaning.  
  
She settled down into a plump chair and opened the hardback. A lot of dust flew into her face, for the book obviously hadn't been opened for a while, making her cough violently.  
  
She squinted as she struggled to read the faded red cover, "The Prophecy of." The last word was smudged out, and she was unable to decipher it.  
  
"I guess it doesn't really matter."  
  
"It was exactly one thousand years ago when the holy capital of the Draconians, Atlantis, was destroyed. Its charred ashes floated with the wind. The Draconians of Atlantis took to the sky using their pendants given to them by the gods, for they were surely the chosen ones, destined to rule for all eternity, for they ruled the land, the sea, and the sky. But alas, greed and selfishness took its toll on the winged people, causing them to lose sight of who had given them these great privileges and could just as quickly take them away. They chose to make their wishes become reality, this was the final act that assured them that their end was near. In a single day and night of terror, fire rained from the sky, destroying Atlantis and its people.  
  
The few who hadn't lost sight of the gods, were saved, and sent in a pillar of light to their earlier creation, Gaea. These four were the chosen ones: DeFoe, Vero, Quarte, and Hirano. They lived out their lives peacefully, all raising children who would begin the next generation. But sadly, most of their descendants were wiped out, leaving only one behind. Varie DeFoe, daughter of Shiru DeFoe and Rae Hirano, both of her parents were killed in a siege of their manor. Varie's destiny was to marry Gaou de Fanel, youngest son of Fanelia's King. By a stroke of fate, all of Gaou's family died when he was very young, and he became king of Fanelia at the age of five, with a regent looking out for his best interest. Their fated meeting occurred when both were fifteen and resulted in two Draconian offspring, one who is now deceased, the other very much alive.  
  
But the purpose of this book is not being properly introduced. This is the prophecy that if not carried out, Gaea as we know it will be lost forever. A maiden holds the power to save Gaea in her time of need. Only one. But she must make a sacrifice that will cost her dearly, but is all for the best I'm afraid. When the maiden discovers who and what she is, all will be revealed, her purpose, her destiny, will become clear. Many ladies will try, but never succeed as this honored savior, she will be taken personally, and although she may never realize it, she'll make all the difference."  
  
"Hmm. Where's the rest of it?" Hitomi looked confused since the rest of the book was just numerous blank pages. Very vague and confusing. I wonder what it's doing in my room. Maybe it's Varona's and she left it in here by mistake. Oh well." She shut the tattered book in a drawer and tried to forget of its existence.  
  
'The chosen ones.' Was her final thought before drifting off to sleep.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Damn! Hitomi! Wake up!" Van pleaded with her silent form.  
  
"Come on Hitomi! PLEASE?!" Yet, the girl remained serene. He rubbed a piece of her short brown hair between his fingers and wished that she'd open her eyes so he could become lost in their depths again. He sat on the bed and pulled her into his embrace, softly stroking her head and quietly reassuring her of her safety.  
  
"Don't worry Hitomi. Everything's going to be all right. You'll be fine, I believe in you." The king tried to believe his words, but it was quite difficult when he was unfortunately quite certain that this would not be the case.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"WHERE THE HELL IS IT?!" The woman shrieked, ransacking her room for the missing article.  
  
"IT HAS TO BE HERE SOMEWHERE!!!" She emptied a drawer and turned a cabinet inside out. After hours of endless searching, she slumped on the ground, feeling extremely frustrated.  
  
"What am I to do now? If the girl discovers it, all my plans, they'll be ruined." This possibility horrified her and she slumped to an all-time-low.  
  
"But no, what's the chance of her finding it? And even if she does happen to stumble upon it, I doubt the stupid girl would be able to read it all, it's only the last pages that would really ruin everything. But I must find that book!" She ran out of her room, and continued her relentless search, unaware that her prize lay just down the hall.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: Confused? Annoyed that I haven't added to this for 2 months? Really mad that I wrote such a short chapter? Bothered that I seem to have no plot structure and none of this is very predictable? Well TOO bad, cuz it's my fic and NOT yours! But thank you for all the nice reviews I've been getting, I really appreciate them. I accept constructive criticism and compliments, NO FLAMES!!! FLAMES ME NO LIKEY!!! I would have uploaded this sooner, but I've been really wrapped up in the real world ever since school started. Just came home from the school dance a couple hours ago, the boy I asked to dance didn't know how, but I like him and he's sweet. He gave me a free candy bar that was supposed to be his since he ran the concessions. OK, enough of my love life, back to the fic. Anyway, I also suffered MAJOR writer's block with this fic; any ideas would be appreciated! I am also absorbed in my other five fics in the works now. * Sigh * But, for the records, I DID upload a new chapter to this!!! A few more reviews will motivate me to write the next chapters, I'll just end the whole fic and have the whole universe explode if I get no reviews, you have been warned. Arigatou and Sayonara! ^_^  
  
~Trunks Gal~ 


	12. The Future

Disclaimer: If I owned Esca, I wouldn't be writing this, now would I?  
  
A/N: Wow, I'm sorry I haven't updated this for like over two months. I'm really sorry, this fic seems prone to writer's block, I've been working non- stop on some of my other fics and trying to forget about this one and "Folkie's Birthday" (The latter which I promise to update next, I work on it as we speak…) I think I finally have an idea where I'm going with this, so maybe it'll be updated more frequently. Oh yeah, and I feel so stupid, brought up by ImagineGal, Yukari and Amano were announced as a couple by Hitomi's friends in the last episode. Duh! I completely forgot about that, so for the fic's sake we'll just say that things didn't work out and well I'll explain it in this chap, now they're going again though, so luckily, Amano is out of the love triangle again. I'm glad you peeps are liking this and if my friend Kiddi Chi would review this * cough cough * like she said she would *cough cough * then I'd be more motivated to finish reading her fic and adding the final chapter for "Never Forget" which she seems to like. (Which is a miracle beyond belief, ne Washu-chan?) Read her GW fic "Fire and Ice" so she won't murder me, uh… I mean, because it's 'The best Gundam Wing fic around' as she puts it. Anyways, here's the next chap, the more reviews, the more likely I'll choose to update this fic sooner, I'll need at least 2-5 more though before I'll even consider writing up the next one though. * Readers grumble * Hey, it's gotta be worth my while… * Is pelted with rotten fruit * Oh well, on with the show! ^_^;  
  
Chapter 12: The Future  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^Amano's POV^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Amano winced at the moans, groans, and angry glares he was getting from his friends and family. They had come to see a wedding, not to see his bride vanish through the ceiling. Then, he had kissed the maid of honor and there were many hisses and boos from Hitomi's section of guests. He had told them all to go home and to not worry about Hitomi; she'd be fine. None of them seemed all that reassured, but they grudgingly obeyed and filed out of the church. Yukari was hugging him tightly at this point and he smiled down at her, they had quite a history after all.  
  
He had had a crush on Hitomi for years, but he was slightly attracted to her best friend too. They were both involved in track, Hitomi a star-runner and Yukari the manager so they obviously all had a lot in common. Then his father told him that he had decided to send him to boarding school in England for the rest of his high school years. 'It'll build character,' His old man had put it, as Amano became furious. What about his friends? What about school? What about the track team? What about his life-long home here in Japan? And most importantly, what about Hitomi and Yukari? His dad obviously didn't care and the next day Amano told some of his friends. Apparently, word had leaked out and Hitomi had found out from Yukari about his departure. She had staked a bet that she could run 100 meters in 13 seconds, he had known she could do it as the pendant swung back and fourth, keeping perfect time. Then, literally, out of the blue, came that odd boy with the sword he slew that hideous dragon. Then, Hitomi had been swept off into the sky, leaving Yukari and him only to wonder what their friend had gotten herself into.  
  
The two of them had made daily visits to Mrs. Kanzaki's house, trying to console her and get information about Hitomi's strange disappearance. She hadn't made an ounce of sense, babbling on about what her mother had told her when she was a little girl. Then, surprisingly, his father had told him that he had thought about his decision and realized it wasn't fair to Amano, and besides, he liked Amano's 'little girlfriend' as he called Yukari. They had gone closer during Hitomi's absence, and Amano had realized what an amazing and wonderful person she was. They had become a couple after a month or so and done everything together. Their friends were so happy for them saying they were destined to be together and it was fate, which Yukari had said was very sweet.  
  
Then, when they went out to dinner one night after their friend had miraculously reappeared, Amano had said the wrong thing about his relationship with Hitomi, and broke her heart. She had told him she loathed him more than any scum on the face of the planet and dumped him. He then became interested in Hitomi again, but that pain in his heart when he realized that his new girlfriend would never be Yukari, took its toll on him after awhile. He had been prompted by his mother to ask Hitomi to marry him after a few years of them going steady, 'You're not getting any younger y'know,' was her wise comment. Hitomi had agreed to his idea and they had spent quite a long time preparing for this, although they both longed for true love in the deep recesses of their hearts. Now, here he was, brideless, embracing his ex-girlfriend who seemingly was still in love with him after he hurt her.  
  
"I love you. You know that, right Yukari?" He had asked, smiling down at her.  
  
"Yep, I always did. Issho ni itsu mo." She whispered into his jacket, happy tears filling her eyes.  
  
"Yes love, it was Hitomi's doing. Now we'll be together always, forever and ever…" He spun her around as she laughed happily, and they both realized that this was true love.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
** Van was wrapping his wings around her as her arms entwined around his neck. They soared higher and higher into the Gaean sky, passing the stars and rising all the way to heaven. There were thousands of Draconians there, all smiling at them in unison, as they passed through the pearly gates when Gabrielle's horn sounded. Then, she had a funny feeling that something strange was about her and she looked around to see what was going on and... **  
  
"Lady Hitomi! Lady Hitomi! Wake up Lady Hitomi!" Varona's voice woke Hitomi from her fantasy, and she never knew what was the matter. It was so confusing, but so wonderful at the same time.  
  
"Uhh… Mom… five more minutes…" Hitomi mumbled, rolling facedown into her soft pillow.  
  
"Hitomi!" Varona shrieked in exasperation.  
  
"Hmm… I know what to do…" She grinned and climbed onto the bed, promptly beginning to jump up and down until Hitomi banged into the top of the canopy.  
  
"Ow… What'd you do that for?" The green-eyed girl moaned, rubbing her injured head.  
  
"Sorry, but you can't sleep your life away." The future-queen told her in a matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"I can try can't I?" Hitomi asked good-naturedly, standing up and stretching.  
  
"But you won't succeed." Her friend replied, smiling at her and leaving the room.  
  
"Breakfast is in half-an-hour, don't be late!"  
  
"Alright, Alright…" Hitomi groaned, slowly making her way to her wardrobe.  
  
"Oh my god…" She muttered in disbelief as she opened the wardrobe doors. It had more dresses in it than she'd ever seen in her whole life. Did they think she'd be staying for years or something? She could wear a different dress everyday for a year straight and still not run out with this kind of resource. She was stunned to say the least, but quickly regained her composure. She spotted a light green dress among the hundreds before her, and quickly grabbed it and some accessories before slamming it closed.  
  
'Nice,' She thought to herself after she'd put on the dress, white shoes, stockings, gloves, and dark green hairbow. On the vanity was a green pendant on a silver chain. It had a note attached to it.  
  
'Hitomi-  
  
Isn't this pretty? I picked it up in the bazaar the other day for myself, but remembering my purchase this morning, I knew it would be the perfect gift for you. Hope you like it!  
  
Your friend,  
  
Princess Varona Isabella de Varo (I'm not queen yet, thank the gods…, but why must my first and last names be so similar, perhaps a good thing from my marriage to a Nuvarian prince, yes?)  
  
1st Heir to the throne of Varo  
  
Daughter of King Varon and Queen Lilona de Varo  
  
Fiancée of Prince Alesto Raberte de Nuvar'  
  
'Wow, it looks a lot like my pendant…' Hitomi observed.  
  
Her afterthought was, 'Man, I'd hate to have to sign all my letters with THAT title, ugh, poor girl…'  
  
She looked at her reflection again and was rather frightened.  
  
'I look too much like Princess Millerna for comfort.' She grimaced, never wanting to look that superficial. But, she supposed if she was to play the part of a king's fiancée, she should start dressing like a queen. She made her way downstairs where everyone was no doubt waiting. As she glided into the grand banquet hall, she couldn't help but gaze around in pure wonder. Never had she seen such a beautiful room, even the royal dining room at the Asturian Palace with its starry view could compare. At first, Hitomi thought she was in an amphitheater, for there seemed to be no ceiling or walls. But then, she realized there was a thin layer of glass separating them from the elements on all sides, but still allowing them full view of the heavens above. The green marble floor shimmered under the two moons' glow and fountains and topiary were a major part of the décor. She walked for ten minutes to reach the other end of the hall where the long white table sat and Varo's Royal Family calmly sat eating breakfast.  
  
'What's the point? It's beautiful, but they might as well eat outside.' Hitomi decided, though admiring their taste.  
  
"Ahh… Princess Hitomi, how are you this fine morning?" Queen Lilona beamed at her.  
  
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you, your grace. I trust you slept well." She hid behind her brown bangs, trying to block out the world, but not succeeding. The queen thought she was a princess, and why shouldn't she? How could she marry a king like Van if she wasn't?  
  
"I see his majesty is up and about today. I trust your feeling better Milord?"  
  
"All is well fair damsel." The King mumbled, obviously he was still a bit under the weather.  
  
"Damn sickness, can't even get out of bed without raising a fuss…" He mumbled, his wife chose to ignore his last comment and his daughter stifled a giggle.  
  
Hitomi sat down and Queen Lilona's small-gloved hand reached out from beneath the table to strike at silver bell sitting beside her plate.  
  
"Nurei!" She called as soon as her daughter's friend was seated.  
  
"Milady?" A blue tinted catgirl asked as she kneeled before the queen, no doubt a servant.  
  
"Please fetch Lady Hitomi some food."  
  
"Yes Milady." The girl scampered off and Hitomi was vaguely reminded of a young Merle from years ago when she first came to Gaea. Although this girl looked far older.  
  
' "With Fanelia burned to the ground and Balgus dead, the only one I can really count on is her." Van pointed to the sleeping catgirl called Merle. '  
  
'Why won't my thoughts shut up?' Hitomi wondered, not wishing to be reminded of all those she missed back at home. Home.  
  
'When did I start thinking of Fanelia as my home?'  
  
"So, Lady Hitomi, when is your wedding to Lord Van expected to take place?" Queen Lilona asked in curiosity, staring at her wide-eyed.  
  
"Well… I… I really don't know…" Hitomi replied, blush creeping to her cheeks as she stared at the table.  
  
"Has it been announced to the public yet or are we the only ones outside the king's council that know what's going on?" The Queen pressed.  
  
"You're the only ones who know, you see, I didn't even know until a short while before I got here. Lord Van's council invited many princesses his age to Fanelia to stay for a week, the king was supposed to select a girl from among them to be his bride. I was woken up at the crack of dawn a few days ago and told that I was Fanelia's future queen. I do love him and will be proud to alliance my country with such a strong one as Fanelia." Hitomi thought up a pretty good lie for a beginner. 'The truth will set you free!' Her mother had often told her, but in this situation, it would be just the opposite.  
  
"What country do you hail from?"  
  
"Y-You w-want to know where I'm from?" Hitomi was getting quite freaked at this point; she'd run out of answers soon.  
  
"Why that's simple, I'm from Kanzakia, it's on the far end of Gaea, hundreds of miles from Fanelia, why, it took me a month in a carriage just to reach it."  
  
"Kanzakia…… I've never heard of such a country." The king grumbled.  
  
"It's a very small country, but we are very rich, we keep a low profile though." Hitomi quietly commented.  
  
"All the better for you then." The Queen commented wisely.  
  
"So, do you know your colors, flowers, bridesmaids, maid of honor, and all that?"  
  
'Why won't she stop asking questions?' Hitomi's mind moaned.  
  
"Well… The Fanelian colors I suppose, the bridesmaids will be Lady Merle, Princess Millerna, and Lady Yukari, the Maid of honor will be my mother, and the flowers will be roses and cherry blossoms."  
  
'Wow, I'm actually getting into planning for an event that will probably never happen unless my vision comes true…'  
  
"What's a cherry blossom?" Varona asked, getting interested in the wedding- never-to-be.  
  
"Well, it's a small pink flower that falls from a cherry tree in the spring. They're so pretty, outside my home in Aimsa there's one of those trees. When the blossoms float in the breeze, you know it's spring at last…" She went off into her own little reverie completely forgetting her audience.  
  
"Aimsa? I thought you were from Kanzakia, Lady…" The Queen looked confused and who could blame her?  
  
"Oh, that's the name of my summer home in Asturia!" Hitomi came out of her fond memories to save herself.  
  
'I'm getting pretty good at lying…'  
  
Nurei came in just then and handed Hitomi a Piscus. Queen Lilona waved her hand and the catgirl bowed her way out of the room. Hitomi tried to hide her disgust at the sour taste of the fruit and apparently, Varo's royal family bought it. She later escaped outside with Princess Varona.  
  
'I don't know how much longer I can keep this up…'  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"The time has come. Nurei, fetch me the book. I trust you've found it by now?" The catgirl's mistress commanded.  
  
"No Milady, I've turned the palace inside out and upside down, but there is no sign of it." She looked down, knowing what was coming. * SMACK *  
  
"How DARE you?! Do you realize how vital that book is to Varo's future… If the girl should find it, everything will be gone… There will be no reason for this fantasy realm when the prophecy is fulfilled…" She glided over to the window and looked out at the happy kingdom before her. A small child ran down the road, chasing his little sister as she giggled, clutching a rag doll. A nest of robins was just outside her window. The sun was setting and it made the capital look like a glowing jewel. She sighed, a small smile curling her lips. She would not let this place become nothing more than a legend, a dream, although in reality that was all that it was. Varo was the fantasy country that had been created by the gods. They had to find the Winged Goddess, who would save Gaea. What did she care for Gaea, although Varo was vaguely a part of it, only the maidens that tried to gain the Winged Goddess's honored title even knew of its existence. But where were they now? Dead, all of them, dead. Lady Hitomi had not come on her own free will of course, the Gods must have decided that she could be the one and dragged her here. She had tried to become the goddess, but had failed. She had caught King Veron's eye when he saw her and he had asked her to marry him. She had never returned to the real world that was Gaea. Varona had no idea that this world of theirs was nothing but the gods' plaything. That's why she could never leave the palace, she'd find out when she rode past the capital's gates, that there was no vast kingdom of Varo that stretched as far as the eye could see, only an infinity of black. Her fiancé was actually a peasant who had spent his whole life learning to act like a prince so he could wed the princess. His parents were an illusion as was his country, Varona would never know. She'd tell her that Nuvaria had been burned to the ground by Zaibach and that she and the prince would rule Varo instead. Oh how she'd wanted to return home so many times, but she had fallen in love with the king, and couldn't bear to leave him. But oh how she had cared for Lord Gaou, when she had heard of his death, she had locked herself up in her room for weeks, muttering his name relentlessly. The goddess would never be found, Lady Hitomi would have to die, for the sake of the life of the daughter she loved so dearly. If the stupid girl believed that she bought her 'Van's fiancée' story for a moment, she was deathly wrong. She'd trip up eventually if she kept up with her persisting questions. But if Hitomi read all the book had to say, she'd know it was her, and would accept the position, the gods would dispose of Varo, having no use for it, and all would be lost.  
  
"Lady?" Nurei asked timidly, rubbing her cheek and interfering with her mistress's thoughts.  
  
"Keep searching, our very lives depend on it." Queen Lilona Quarte de Varo muttered coldly, as the catgirl walked away, leaving her very much alone.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
'I don't understand…' Nurei thought to herself.  
  
'What could POSSIBLY be in that book that has Lady Lilona so upset? And who cares if Lady Hitomi gets to read it, it can't be THAT important, after all, she doesn't even know where it went, she hasn't opened it for years. Why all the interest since Lady Hitomi arrived?'  
  
Nurei, the blue catgirl had been found by Queen Lilona being hunted by some vicious villagers who hated her race. She was one of the last remaining in Varo. She had no idea where she was from or how she'd gotten there, all she knew was that those bad men were chasing her. She also remembered that she had been holding the hand of her little sister. Mother had told her to take care of Mera-Mera on her death-bed, and that's what Nuri-Nuri intended to do… The Queen had ordered the huntsmen to cease and had taken the frightened little 5-year-old home with her to the palace. That had been 20 years ago. She served her with all her heart, body, and soul, as her personal servant and companion. Queen Lilona was her savior after all. She was willing to die for her lady. No matter what she did to her, she'd still be faithful, for she had given her the greatest gift that can ever be given. Life, even if it wasn't a free one. And she never saw her little sister again…  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A/N: Not much going on in this chapter… Confusing? Let me clear us a few things… Here's the deal… Amano and Yukari are once again and item thanks to Hitomi and are very happy. We have King Veron and Queen Lilona both believing that Hitomi is King Van's fiancée because that's what Varona told them to protect Hitomi. Hitomi is having a hard time keeping up with this since it's obviously not true and Queen Lilona is pestering her to find out the truth because she knows that Hitomi's lying. Varo is a kingdom made up on only a capital city and Varona believes they are an immediate part of Gaea. She's marrying a peasant boy trained to act like a prince since there is no one else for her to marry. Actually, it's a country that the gods created for the sole purpose of finding the Winged Goddess because Varo was the only place she could be revealed… You'll see about that later… Nurei is a catgirl who was hunted by villagers much like Naria and Eriya once were. The only thing she remembers before then is holding hands with her little sister while her mother died. Who her sister is you will find out soon enough… Queen Lilona doesn't want Hitomi to find the book Hitomi was reading earlier because it contains the prophecy that foretells of the Winged Goddess, and she thinks that that's Hitomi, and it very well may be, you won't find out unless you read further… And when the Winged Goddess is discovered, Queen Lilona thinks Varo will be destroyed because it will no longer have much of a purpose. Van and Merle weren't featured in this chapter, but will be in the next… Anyways, I know that was confusing… Email me at bye11@msn.com or mihoshichan@hotmail.com if you have any questions or ask in the reviews, and point out any mistakes that you notice, I'm finishing this at 1:00 AM my time, so it's probably filled with mistakes. I'll need seven reviews or something like that though for the next chap… I've got to write the final chap for "Never Forget" and work on my other trillion fics. Anyways, thanks for reading! Sayonara!  
  
~Trunks Gal~ 


	13. Mysterious Fate

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, or any related characters. All original creations belong to me.  
  
A/N: I'm disappointed at the lack of interest I've had for this fic. At first, I had a bunch of peeps, but then I got so involved with some of my other fics I rather neglected this I guess… I'm seriously thinking of discontinuing it. Which seems like a horrible shame to me, but why write a fic if nobody's going to read it? I hope I'll get some serious reviews (33- 38 total) for this chapter… Otherwise, ficcy goes bye-bye… * Tear Tear * Enjoy! (If there's any of you out there… Please prove me wrong and review…)  
  
Last time on "Angel of Dreams":  
  
"What's a cherry blossom?" Varona asked, getting interested in the wedding- never-to-be.  
  
"Well, it's a small pink flower that falls from a cherry tree in the spring. They're so pretty, outside my home in Aimsa there's one of those trees. When the blossoms float in the breeze, you know it's spring at last…" She went off into her own little reverie completely forgetting her audience.  
  
"Aimsa? I thought you were from Kanzakia, Lady…" The Queen looked confused and who could blame her?  
  
"Oh, that's the name of my summer home in Asturia!" Hitomi came out of her fond memories to save herself.  
  
'I'm getting pretty good at lying…'  
  
Nurei came in just then and handed Hitomi a Piscus. Queen Lilona waved her hand and the catgirl bowed her way out of the room. Hitomi tried to hide her disgust at the sour taste of the fruit and apparently, Varo's royal family bought it. She later escaped outside with Princess Varona.  
  
'I don't know how much longer I can keep this up…'  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Lady?" Nurei asked timidly, rubbing her cheek and interfering with her mistress's thoughts.  
  
"Keep searching, our very lives depend on it." Queen Lilona Quarte de Varo muttered coldly, as the catgirl walked away, leaving her very much alone.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
'I don't understand…' Nurei thought to herself.  
  
'What could POSSIBLY be in that book that has Lady Lilona so upset? And who cares if Lady Hitomi gets to read it, it can't be THAT important, after all, she doesn't even know where it went, she hasn't opened it for years. Why all the interest since Lady Hitomi arrived?'  
  
Nurei, the blue catgirl had been found by Queen Lilona being hunted by some vicious villagers who hated her race. She was one of the last remaining in Varo. She had no idea where she was from or how she'd gotten there, all she knew was that those bad men were chasing her. She also remembered that she had been holding the hand of her little sister. Mother had told her to take care of Meru-Meru on her death-bed, and that's what Nuri-Nuri intended to do… The Queen had ordered the huntsmen to cease and had taken the frightened little 5-year-old home with her to the palace. That had been 20 years ago. She served her with all her heart, body, and soul, as her personal servant and companion. Queen Lilona was her savior after all. She was willing to die for her lady. No matter what she did to her, she'd still be faithful, for she had given her the greatest gift that can ever be given. Life, even if it wasn't a free one. And she never saw her little sister again…  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Chapter 13: Mysterious Fate  
  
** "Sleep tonight, in gentle calm,  
  
Catch a moonbeam, in your palm…  
  
Float off to a wondrous dream…  
  
I'll be holding you there…  
  
May the moon be your guide,  
  
As you sleep, by my side,  
  
My baby, my little love…"  
  
A violet haired catwoman sang softly, holding a bundle in her arms while her husband rocked a small wooden cradle… **  
  
Nurei woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. She looked around, seeing the same room she'd lived in for the past 10 years. The same door. The same curtains covering the same window. The same bed. The same table and chair. The same musicbox that played that sweet melody that haunted her dreams. She stepped out of bed and walked across the wooden floor in her pale blue nightshift. She walked over to the musicbox and wound the key several times. The calming song echoed across the room, going perfectly to the words that woman had been singing. Who was she? Was it a memory of a past life? Or the mother she knew as a young child with the father who died when she was only a year old. He had gone off hunting one day and never returned. Why'd he leave them? If he hadn't would she be here now? Would she be with her mother and little sister in their little hut by the babbling brook in the great forest of Fanelia? She had been in Irini, a village of Fanelia, in the marketplace, when Meru-Meru got lost in the crowd.  
  
'Where are you little sister? Are you well? Do you remember me and mother and father? Where are you?'  
  
With these troubling thoughts, she fell into a troubled sleep.  
  
** Nuri-Nuri walked through the grassy fields of Fanelia. She had a serene smile on her face, as the wind made her long blue braid sway in the breeze. She bent down and picked a flower, inhaling its scent deeply. She twirled it daintily before twisting it among her azure locks. Her dress matched the sky above them as she stared at the two moons above in wonder. Who lived there and what was it like? Questions that would probably never be answered.  
  
"SISTER! SISTER PLEASE WAIT!" Meru-Meru scrambled far behind, trying to keep up to no avail.  
  
Nuri grinned and kept walking, ignoring her little sister's pleas.  
  
"PLEASE NURI! PLEASE DON'T GO!" Meru-Meru fell to the ground and Nuri-Nuri looks back in alarm.  
  
"MERU-CHAN!" She ran back to where her little sister fell and propped her up in her lap.  
  
"Oneesan… Why didn't you wait for me?" Meru-Meru whimpered, tears tricking down her cheeks.  
  
"Meru-chan… I…" She noticed her little sister's scraped knee and sighed in frustration at her stupidity.  
  
"Well this is no good." She tore off a piece of her dress and wrapped Meru- Meru's cut.  
  
Meru-Meru smiled.  
  
"Arigatou Nuri-san!"  
  
"Gomen Meru-chan. I was acting like a jerk, I'm sorry."  
  
"It's OK Nuri-san!" She beamed widely.  
  
They lay back on the hill, watching the clouds go by and just enjoying a moment of peace and quiet.  
  
"Nuri-san…"  
  
"Yes, Meru-chan…?" Nuri-Nuri looked at her sister quizzically.  
  
"We'll be together forever, right?"  
  
"Sure, Meru-chan… Whatever you say…" Her sister ruffled little Meru-Meru's hair and she giggled. She took the flower out of her hair and put it in the pink hair of her little sister.  
  
"Always…" **  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Nurei woke later, still disturbed by those horrible dreams. She knew the second one to be real. She could picture it so vividly. How she missed that shoujo jaki.  
  
'How long ago was it that I was your beloved oneesan, Meru-chan?" She sighed.  
  
She looked at her clock and her tail stood straight up.  
  
"9:00?! AIEEEEEEEEEE! I'M LATE!" She shrieked, leaping out of bed and throwing on her skirt before running out the door and dashing down the hall.  
  
'I'M DEAD!' She thought to herself as she picked up her pace to a sprint. She reached Hitomi's room and dashed inside, she ran so fast she fell on her stomach and slid under the future queen's canopybed. She was shoved against a sharp object…  
  
"Ow…" She muttered, rubbing her head. She opened the leather bound book and felt it odd that the first few pages were missing.  
  
"Strange… Oh well…" She began to read.  
  
"There are three the gods deemed worthy. All unaware that their fates have led them to a greater purpose. A life for the lives of many that is how the world works. The maidens have been found. Do they know of their heritage? Of their fate? The time is coming, it will happen at midnight on the 31st Blue Moon. When the New Year dawns, Gaea's future will be secure. As the moon becomes full, the world will shake and rumble, and she will appear, a light in the darkness, and rise to the heavens above. A sacrifice for her people. The ones she loves and those who love her may suffer, but it is for the greater good. You cannot escape fate. The angel will be discovered, very soon…"  
  
"Very soon is right… The 31st blue moon is tomorrow!"  
  
"What the heck does that whole thing mean?" She scratched her head in puzzlement.  
  
"Maidens… The Eve of the New Year… Sacrifice… Angel…? None of it makes sense!"  
  
"NUREI!" Queen Lilona screamed a summons.  
  
"COMING MILADY!" She shrieked down. She ran downstairs, leaving the book open on forgotten on Lady Hitomi's bed.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"So, Amano-kun, what happens now?" Yukari asked in curiosity as he held her in his embrace.  
  
"I… I really don't know…" He picked a rose from the wedding altar and handed it to her. I guess we're a couple again, ne?" He handed her the rose and she squealed in delight, blushing a bright crimson.  
  
"I guess so… So, you think we'll get married?" She smirked mischievously, kissing him passionately.  
  
Now it was Amano's turn to blush.  
  
"Someday…"  
  
"SOMEDAY?! WHY NOT RIGHT NOW?! WE HAVE PARTY, FOOD, A PRIEST, AND A LIMO!!! That's a hint that NOW'S the time!"  
  
Amano winced. He forgot how loud his old girlfriend could be when she wanted to.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Whatever… I just want to go home!" The priest muttered. Yukari dragged Amano up to the altar, all smiles, as he looked rather apprehensive.  
  
"I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride's friend… Augh… This is messed up… Why'd Hitomi fly through the ceiling?" The priest groaned in annoyance.  
  
"What about the rest of the sermon?! If my memory serves me right, it's QUITE a bit longer…" Yukari griped.  
  
"Look kid, I just did the whole sermon when Amano here decided that he was marrying the wrong girl! You heard the whole thing, let's just marry you two! It's the weekend, I want to go fishing!"  
  
But they had ignored him and were kissing.  
  
"FINALLY!" The priest rushed away, grinning like a lunatic, leaving the happy Mr. and Mrs. Sumuru to the bright future ahead of them.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"It's coming. Tomorrow night. It's coming. The Mystic Moon's child will become full and cast its shadow upon the dawn of a New Year. The maiden will be taken to her place among the deities of heaven. She will save Gaea. She will save them all. Her life is no longer in her own hands. She is at the mercy of the gods and they are not a merciful being. Fate lingers between life and death." Shiva whispered, her eyes had become a steely gray and she seemed to be in some kind of trance. Shiva was a psychic, controlled by her sisters of the underworld, doomed to crush the hearts of mortals. It was routine by now, but she tired of all the sadness. Shiva was immortal and therefore was doomed to roam the underworld forevermore, guiding spirits between heaven and hell. One can only kill for so many thousands of years without it getting a tad depressing… This was Shiva's reality.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Varona and Hitomi wandered about the gardens, pushing King Varon's wheelchair as he grumbled about being perfectly able to walk.  
  
"Now Papa, you know what the healers said. You're not to walk on your own for several more months. You've got to keep up your strength. You can't die, not now Papa. You've got to see me wed, right?"  
  
"I suppose, but I'm not some pathetic invalid… Take me back inside, will you?"  
  
"Yes Papa. I'll be right back Hitomi!" Varona quickly wheeled her father back into the castle, allowing the servants to take charge of him. She quickly returned and the friends strolled along.  
  
"So, what do you want to do Hitomi?"  
  
"I don't know… I… Varona?" The girl beside Hitomi had paled in an instant; her eyes became the same gray as her own and Migel's under Zhongi's trance. She started walking off into the forest with no comment.  
  
"What are you doing?" Varona continued to ignore her and headed blindly forward.  
  
"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"  
  
"We are being called…" Varona whispered, as she whipped around to face the confused emerald-eyed girl. Her pale blonde locks covered her face like a mask and her voice was emotionless.  
  
"Being called?" Hitomi asked with a puzzled expression.  
  
"All will be revealed Milady. Follow me." Varona whispered, as she glided like a phantom further into the depths of the forest.  
  
'I don't know what's wrong with her, but I better follow or she could get hurt…' Hitomi ran off to keep up with the girl, worried with what she would find where the princess led her.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Queen Lilona walked into Lady Hitomi's room to talk to her about hers and Varona's wedding plans. She knocked lightly and when no one answered she opened the door.  
  
"Lady Hitomi?" She walked while looking around. She then spotted a dusty book on her bed.  
  
'Could it be…? No… But…' She raced over and flipped open the book. To her dismay, the first pages were blank. She began to read the faded out words…  
  
"The maidens have been chosen. Only one will become the angel, the other shall watch in despair as her friend departs to the heavens above. Varo's end is nearing quickly. Gaea will be safe once more… The angel savior of Gaea is heading into the forest, waiting for the moon to rise. The maiden is…"  
  
"Oh no… No… This isn't happening! I MUST STOP THIS!" Queen Lilona ran away, going off to rescue her kingdom from its eminent doom.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Lord Van, what are you doing?" Merle mewed in curiosity as she peeked into Hitomi's chambers. Van had his eyes closed tight and was clasping the pendant tightly.  
  
"I'm trying to… Well I… You see…" Van stumbled for the right words.  
  
"You're trying to go to Varo, aren't you, Lord Van?"  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"There's no other way to save someone from that dreadful place unless you go there yourself. I'm not stupid you know, Lord Van."  
  
"Merle, I've got to save her… You know that…"  
  
"Than I'm coming with you!" She had a dangerous glint in her blue eyes, but Van ignored it.  
  
"No Merle, you can't come. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. This is my quest, I've got to do it alone."  
  
"I understand…" Merle whispered sadly.  
  
"Hitomi… I want to see you again…" Van whispered, concentrating.  
  
The blue light reappeared, taking him to where he needed, no wanted, to be.  
  
As it faded, Merle whispered, "Good luck Van-sama…"  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Note:  
  
Oneesan- Older Sister  
  
Shoujo Jaki- Little Imp  
  
A/N: Well, that's the end of another chap, review OK or this is the end… If I get enough reviews, there will be two more chapters… A final chapter and an epilogue. It should be good. Keep reading! Thanks for checking this out! Oh yeah, and here's the next chapter if it comes up…  
  
Meet Idaku… Nurei's lover?  
  
The Angel of Gaea is…  
  
Van arrives on Varo?  
  
Queen Lilona threatens to kill Hitomi?  
  
Nurei's lost identity revealed?  
  
"I'm just living a dream…"  
  
All will be revealed in the 14th chapter of Angel of Dreams…  
  
Ja matta ne tomadachi! ^_^  
  
~Trunks Gal~ 


	14. Truths Revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca, let me finish my fic before you sue me! I beg of you!!!

A/N: Thanks for all the positive reviews, I'm sorry about the whole "stopping" thing, I was just really frustrated (and I still am) about all the fics I'm writing… I really need to drop some… I'm actually somewhat glad this one's almost over, it makes life easier… Enjoy the second to last chapter, the epilogue is next! Enjoy and review!  


Chapter 14: Truths Revealed

"So, Nurei, how 'bout we get married? It would be great… We could do it tomorrow; it wouldn't have to be a big thing… Maybe it'll even snow for us… What do you say?" Idaku, Nurei's partner since day one, and recent lover, brought the idea out in the open for the first time. He waited for a response and was frustrated when he wasn't getting any kind of life sign…

"Nurei? Helloooooooo! Anybody home?" He waved his hand in front of her face, but all her received was a blank stare.

"Are you OK?" Idaku asked, slightly worried.

"I must go." Nurei whispered solemnly.

"What are you talking about?" Idaku was more than slightly worried at this point.

"I am being called. The planets have aligned on this eve of the New Year. Gaea's fate hangs in the balance. I am one of the chosen ones, I must go." She leapt off the balcony they were on as Idaku looked on in horror. To his amazement, she landed daintily on two feet and started walking off into the forest.

__

What the heck's going on around here? He wondered to himself.

__

When in Rome… He leaped off the balcony, silently praying for the gods to take his soul quickly when he was smashed like a pancake on the ground. To his amazement, he didn't die and was actually able to walk.

__

This is weird… But, I gotta go after her… No time for thinking now… He sprinted off into the blackness, chasing after the girl he loved.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Hitomi had been wandering through the dense underbrush following Varona-Hime. It had been like this for hours and it was almost midnight. Where was the Princess going?

"Varona, are we almost there? It's getting late and we should probably head back…"

"Lady Hitomi… You of all people should understand… Why do you not have this feeling? We are being summoned; do you not realize it? We shall not return." Hitomi's emerald eyes reflected uncertainty and Varona sighed in frustration.

"Please Hitomi. Trust me. Come." She dashed off into the wilderness once more.

"**Why** do I feel like I'm being led on a wild goose chase?" Hitomi wondered aloud.

"Guess I better follow her… I wasn't in track for nothing…" She dashed off after the princess. She only knew she was going the right way by the glimpses she caught of her golden locks under the moonbeams.

__

I have a bad feeling about this… They suddenly emerged into an open clearing, bathed in the reflection of the moons. Varona was staring up at the Earth. In wonder, Hitomi supposed, but maybe there was more to it than that, she'd never know. But no, she wasn't looking at the Earth; she was looking… **at Gaea**! How could that be possible, she thought she was **ON** Gaea… What the heck was going on?

"Hitomi… Do you ever wonder about destiny?"

"I used to… All the time… But if I learned anything on Gaea, I've learned that there is no such thing as pre-determined fate… We control our own future…" Hitomi whispered, curious at what the Princess was getting at.

"Hitomi… Each of us has a purpose in life… Hitomi… Mine was to be the bride of Prince Alesto Raberte de Nuvar… I was to be Queen of Nuvaria someday and have children and grandchildren that I could tell my tales to when I was old and wrinkled. **Why** can't I just have what destiny once foretold?" Her blue eyes seemed to look right through Hitomi, chilling her to the bone.

"I…" Suddenly, Nurei emerged from the woods, a strange catman with dark green hair following her reluctantly.

"Nurei. You came." Varona gave her that same blank gaze she'd given Hitomi.

"Yes. You were called as well, Princess?" Asked Nurei, surprising Idaku that she was speaking.

"Yes. Hitomi has also been summoned. It is almost time." Varona spoke solemnly.

"**WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON?!"** Idaku demanded in frustration.

"I have **no** idea. Ask the zombies." Hitomi commented.

"For some reason, I have also been 'summoned,' but I'm not in some kind of hypnotic trance like those two…"

  
"This is weird…" Idaku commented, scratching his head in puzzlement.

"Tell me about it." Hitomi replied, relieved she had someone who made sense to talk to.

"What's going to happen now?"

"I… don't know…" Hitomi muttered, biting her nail.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

His mind was on fire. Burning. It hurt so much. Flames. In his head. Why wouldn't they leave him alone? Van suddenly descended from the column of blue light. Darn that thing. It was such a painful means of transportation. **How** could Hitomi stand it? But, he was somewhere to say the least. All he could see around him were thousands of trees. It was very late at night. Near midnight, he guessed. It was a pretty night. As Merle would say, "Nights were prettiest in Fanelia," and he had to agree with her, but the moon was exquisite, all three of them… **What?** **Three?** That means he must have made it! **He was in Varo!** **Everyone** knew that only the dream planet of Varo had **THREE** moons. Gaea, The Mystic Moon, and The Mystic Moon's child. He then noticed four illuminated figures and walked over to where they stood. Then, one of the figures turned around, her light brown hair twirling about her face, emerald eyes sparkling, her lips curved into a smile.

"Hitomi?"

"Van… I'm glad you're here Van…" She whispered, a blush creeping to her cheeks.

"You know… When I was 5 years old, my parents both died and my brother vanished. I became the ruler of a great country before most children are ready to learn their ABCs. I had two friends until I was 15. An orphaned catgirl my bodyguard, Balgus, found in Irini just after I became an orphan myself. And Balgus, who trained me, gave me advice, and was my rolemodel. I trained for 10 years to become a warrior, so I could someday battle with my father's guymelef. Escaflowne. On my 15th birthday, I was sent out to the cheers of my entire country to slay a dragon to become king. The dragon disappeared in a blue pillar of light and I followed. I landed on the Mystic Moon, crashing into a girl. I slew the dragon and the girl and I were taken back to Gaea. We traveled to my country and I was crowned. My guardian since I was born, one of the three master swordsman of Gaea, was slaughtered in an instant by an Alseides. I traveled around the entire planet after Fanelia was destroyed by Zaibach; I saw the ocean for the very first time. I met people I never thought I'd meet. I made lifelong friends and had adventures I'll remember on my deathbed. I escaped my council for over half a year. They wanted me to marry, against my will, of course. I came home to find my country in ruins, but my people rebuilding for a better future. You taught me something Hitomi. Just because I was king, didn't mean I couldn't feel. I tried to cut myself off from everyone before you came into my life. What you did to me, I'll never know. But I'm glad you did it. You left. I missed you Hitomi. I wished every day for your return. Now we're together again…"

"Hitomi… I promised you… I promised I'd never let you go… Hitomi… I always keep my word…" He looked at her. The seriousness of his words reflected in his soulful amber eyes. He got down on one knee, holding her hand. She knew what was coming. Was she ready for it? Her breath came in gasps as she looked at his face full of determination.

"Hitomi… Will you marry me?"

For a minute, she couldn't breathe. This was what she always wanted… Wasn't it? She knew right then, what her answer would be.

"Yes, Van, I will be your wife…"

"Are you sure Hitomi? It's a lot of responsibility…" He looked at her uncertainly.

"Van… Fanelia is a beautiful country… I would be proud to rule it by your side." Hitomi said sweetly, as they hugged each other tightly.

"You know, I **hate** to ruin 'the moment' and all, but shouldn't we be concerned about that bright light descending upon us from out of nowhere? **Just** a thought…" Idaku ducked into the bushes, trying to pull Nurei with him to no avail.

"Hitomi… **What's going on**?" Van whispered as they stared up in horror as the light descended.

"I… don't know…" She said quietly, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

  
"Hitomi, the time has come… Say your goodbyes…" Varona whispered emotionlessly, fixing her gaze on the light.

"**What? Goodbyes?**" Van looked at Hitomi in confusion.

"I…" The light's passenger landed. It was a lady clothed in sky blue robes. She had a silver tiara with similar blue gems encircling her forehead. Her hair, lips, eyes, and even her skin were a tint of blue. She was beautiful, deadly beautiful. She smiled, blue fangs evident.

"W-Who a-are y-you?" Hitomi stuttered, her eyes widening in fright.

"I am I. As you are you. Names are not important. They do not make us who we are. What I am is what matters." The woman whispered, her eyes like ice, freezing all about her.

"Yeah, I know **WHAT** you are! **Gorgeous!**" Idaku whistled in appreciation. Nurei was still in a sort of trance, but she knew when to slug her boyfriend and she did. (A/N: Sorry, **Couldn't** resist… ^_~)

Then, the ground shook as flames erupted from it. A girl around their age emerged from the flames. She was cloaked in black. She threw back her hood and crimson eyes peeked out from behind her dark locks.

"**Man**… I've **died **and **gone** to babe heaven…" Idaku muttered, before going unconscious.

"Pig…" Nurei murmured, rolling her eyes, she obviously was beginning to regain her senses.

"I **WON'T** LET YOU TAKE HITOMI! I'VE WORKED **TOO HARD** ON HER CASE!" The dark haired woman protested, her eyes filled with hatred directed at the woman.

"Silence, fool…" The second woman shut up instantly.

"It is the first hour of the New Year when the children of Atlantis and the beastpeople witness Gaea's savior's ascension." The blue woman said softly, her eyes boring holes into her audience.

"Umm… **Excuse me **Lady… But, **maybe** I shouldn't be here… I'm **not** a Draconian…" Hitomi whispered in slight embarrassment. 

"Hitomi Kanzaki… You are **indeed** a child of Atlantis. You are the Granddaughter of Yuri Vero, of one of the last families of Atlantis descent. **You **have as much right to be here as **anyone**." The woman explained calmly.

"I-I'm a **draconian**?" She whispered in shock, her eyes widening.

The woman ignored her.

"The three of you were guided to Varo by fate as all maiden candidates are. One of the three maidens present here tonight shall save Gaea as a sacrifice to the gods. It is a great honor that I am here to present."

Suddenly, Queen Lilona came running screaming towards the group. She caught everyone off guard, Hitomi in particular, and grabbed a hold of her, pressing a dagger to her neck.

"I **WON'T** LET THIS HAPPEN! I **KNOW** THE LEGEND! MY MOTHER TOLD **ME** AND HER MOTHER TOLD **HER** AS **HER** MOTHER TOLD **HER**! I KNOW HOW YOU SPIRIT AWAY DRACONIAN WOMEN FOR YOUR DAMN GODS! **I'M **HERE TO SEE THAT YOU TAKE THE **RIGHT** GIRL! IT'S **OBVIOUSLY** **THIS** WENCH! SHE'S **JUST **A WORTHLESS PIECE OF TRASH! IT'S BETWEEN HER PITIFUL **"LOVE"** AND **MY ENTIRE KINGDOM!** IF YOU **DARE** CHOOSE **MY** DAUGHTER I SHALL **KILL** HER!" Hitomi looked at everyone around her, the fear reflected in her eyes.

"Let her go…" Van tried to control the urge to strangle the woman who dare mess with the girl he loved. 

"If you **dare** harm Hitomi… I'll…"

"Lilona. You are not my mother. I have always known it. I saw it in my dreams. I was found on your doorstep and you took me in since you and Varon could never have children of your own. You raised me as your daughter and for that, I am grateful to you. No matter what anyone says, you will always be my mother." Varona spoke up.

"Then… Who is your **REAL **mother?" Hitomi gasped, having trouble talking with the pressure of the knife.

"Hitomi… I am a descendant of the house of Vero. Not Varo as my 'mother' would like to believe. Hitomi, Yuri Vero is my Grandmother. You are my sister." Varona whispered, her blue eyes staring into Hitomi's soul.

"M-My sister…?" Hitomi whispered in disbelief. This was too much for one night.

"Yes… Your late-grandmother knew it was meant for Varona to live on Gaea, unlike you Hitomi, and her will sent Varona from her cradle and onto King Varo and Queen Lilona's doorstep." The woman spoke up.

  
An old man suddenly hobbled out, supported by a crutch.

"**Damn** woman runs off in the middle of the night shrieking, scaring the blazes out of me. **Damn** lights wake me from a good night's rest. My daughter and her bizarre friend spirited away into the **damn** forest. **Why** am I cursed so?" King Varon wandered upon the scene.

"**So** what the hell is going on? I **have** the right to know. And **Lilona**, is being an assassin **new for you** or is it a **hobby** I just **neglected** to notice?"

"Varon…" Lilona whispered, her face becoming the color of milk.

"Lilona… **Let** the girl go…" The Queen dropped the girl and Varon glared at her.

"Varona… **You** are the maiden of Gaea… **You** are the chosen one…" The blue woman told her.

"**What** the **hell** is she talking about?" Varon whined in annoyance.

"Father… I have to go… I love you and Mother as my own parents. Please don't cry for me." Varona hugged her adopted father in grief.

"Varona… You were **always** my daughter; I don't care what **anyone** says. And I will **always** love you." Varon whispered, hugging her back.

"Varona, it is time to go." The woman whispered, reaching out her hand.

"Varona… **I**… I mean… **We**'ll miss you… Don't forget us, k?" Hitomi hugged her sister, regretting that she never knew.

"I will miss you… All of you… You'll live on in my heart…" Varona said softly, as she gave them all a final wave before taking the woman's hand and vanishing with the light into the heavens above.

"Goodbye all!" Shiva said brightly.

"Oh yes, **and Hitomi**…" Shiva said, catching the girl's interest.

"Hang onto Van! He's a keeper!" She winked at the blushing girl before descending among her sisterhood once more.

The weeping caretakers. The stunned catpeople. And the couple that found that love never dies. They stood there, watching the light fade away. It was finally over.

A/N: Well, that's the end of the story! All that's left is the epilogue! It'll be up before my vacation! REVIEW! PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR AND GUMDROPS AND WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP?! Ja matta ne! ^_^

~Trunks Gal~


	15. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne… Life is hard… Oh well… I still have all my bishonen! ^_^; * Grabs all her cute anime boys and dashes away, throwing green donuts to the populace *

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all of those who reviewed this fic, you guys make writing these things worthwhile…

Jennifer

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Aisha Blu

Kittykat146

Artamis Godess of the Hunt

Kiddi Chi

Esca chick

Amy aka Demon_Wolf

ImagineGal

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Chibi-destiny

Feathers of the wind

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Sorrow

Kizzy

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Safiro

Atlantis Angel

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CHiBiHiTaRu

Li Blossom

Red Rose Angel

Para Para

Starry Eyes 

Chapter 15: Epilogue

__

Dear Nurei,

How are you? I thought I'd take the time to sit down and write this to you. It seems like I'm always too busy to squeeze it in, but you'll be happy to know that I declined a picnic with Van to do this. It's been a year since Varona was whisked away to the heavens. Can you believe it? Time really does fly.

It is a good thing you got off Varo when you did…Van and I went out on Escaflowne to see what was going on up there and the entire planet was gone… Vanished into thin air… I was only on Varo for a few days, but I have so many memories there. I still can't seem to comprehend that it's gone. Maybe it was for the best. I think Varona is probably happier not being a princess. She never did like it. Now she won't have to be Queen and can live off the rest of her days in peace. Who knows, maybe we'll see my little sister again someday… You never know… 

Remember your wedding? How stupid of me, how can you forget your own wedding? You were such a beautiful bride Nurei. I'm sure you've made Idaku the happiest man in Asturia. I wish you'd come to live in Fanelia with us, but Asturia is a lovely place. If you run into Queen Millerna, please give her my regards. I still can't believe she remarried Dryden and they have twin little boys. Millerna must have her hands full… And as for you Nurei, how is little Varona? I'm sure that my sister would be honored to know you named your daughter after her. She must make you and Idaku very proud. 

You will be pleased to know that I finally married Van like everybody has pestered me about for what seems like centuries. We were married on his 18th birthday. The 12th white moon. I had to marry him the day after we came home from your wedding or a wife would be chosen for him by his council since the law said he had to be married by that age. Ugh… Stupid council… Not only are they the curse of Van's existence, but mine too now… I don't know why he just doesn't dismiss them all and I told him that once, but he just gave me a funny look and I changed the topic. The only bad thing about Fanelia is that they're so rooted in tradition they don't know anything else. If they didn't have a book of laws, they'd all stumble around until they died. Everybody knows their place and accepts it, no matter how bad it may be. Bit by bit though, I'm changing things. I hope to have Fanelia much more liberal by the time I'm buried beneath its dirt. Van seems rather unsure of some of my ideas, but he's always been stubborn. That's one of the reasons I love him.

  
Anyways, I'd love to tell you about my wedding, no matter how much it bores you! What are friends for? I wore a puffy white dress that I could barely walk in. It was Varie's wedding dress, so I didn't complain to Van about it. At Van's request, we held it in his family cemetery. It was very beautiful with all the trees surrounding us and Folken's grave as our altar. "Dragon Bride" played in memory of Folken and Varie. I wish they'd played a song from Earth, but this was a big Fanelian tradition so I just went along with it. Merle and Millerna were my maids of honor, Selena was our flower girl, and Allen was Van's best man. Allen smiled a bit too much at me and Van was rather annoyed with him after awhile. I still think he's worried that I'll leave him for Allen. Men. They're brains are about the size of a peanut when it comes to girls. I think of Allen as an overprotective older brother at this point. I wish my family, Earth friends, and you and Idaku had been there, Nurei. But you were on your honeymoon and we still can't figure out a way to get my friends and family up here. I know I'll see them again someday. I can feel it.

Nurei, I always used to wonder how girls like you and Millerna could marry at such a young age. Why would you want to become an adult when you're still children? I think I finally understand. When I said, "I do" on my wedding day and looked into Van's eyes. I saw an emotion I'd never seen there before. At first I had trouble placing it, but then I realized it was love. And I saw my own eyes reflected in his displaying the same devotion. I think I love him more than before I left. To most people, he's just the cold king, devoted to his kingdom with nothing else penetrating his skull. I've had people come up to me while we've visited neighboring countries and ASK me why I married him. When I first met him, I wouldn't have blamed them for these questions. But if you really take the time to know him, you find out what a wonderful and amazing person he really is. 

I have never been so happy. I asked Van why couples choose to get married and Van told me it's so they can dedicate their lives to making the other happy. Van truly seems to believe what he said. I fall asleep listening to his heartbeat and wake in the morning to find fresh roses in my lap since he's an early riser and I refuse to wake until Merle attacks me. He always lets me come with him to his council meetings, although the council despises me and I'm the only Fanelian Queen ever to listen in and offer opinions during these sessions. He takes me with him on all his trips, no matter how much he doesn't think it's a good idea. He defends me from everything and everyone and always asks me if I'm happy. On my birthday, he gave me the Fanelian Royal Gardens. An immense gift, don't you think? He always takes time out of his busy schedule to spend time with me, no matter how much he has going on. I know most of the men who advise him wish he had never met me, but I just ignore them. It's our life to live, not theirs.

Merle has been gone for several weeks. She found out from one of Balgus's journals more about her origin since he had been the one to find her in the village of Irini on the outskirts of Fanelia according to his journal.

'11th White Moon-

I was trying to find Adama Eshe, the lionman, another of Gaea's master swordsman. He had sent word that he would be visiting relatives in Irini today. I stumbled upon a group of boys mercilessly beating up a small catgirl. She had to be around the same age as Master Van. The boys were kicking her back and fourth. She seemed to be trying to get a ragdoll that one of them had stolen from her. It tugged on my heartstrings. That was probably the only possession she had in this world. People are so cruel sometimes. They just can't seem to accept differences. I went over and stopped the violence, chasing the boys away and handing the girl her doll.

"Hello child. What is your name?" 

  
"My name is Meru-Meru!" The child squeaked.

"Well I am Balgus Ganesha. A Samurai of Fanelia and one of the three Master Swordsmen of Gaea. Meru-Meru, what are you doing here?"

"I was with my sister Nuri-Nuri and now I can't find her… I don't know what to do…What should I do Lord Ganesha?"

"You can come with me Meru-Meru and serve in the palace until we find her. It's not a good idea to stay out here all alone."

"Alright Balgus-sama. But you will find my sister for me, won't you?"

"I promise, Meru-Meru. I promise." I took the small girl by the hand and we went off looking for Adama.'

Merle is now determined to find her sister. Van gave her his blessing and a sum of money and she's been gone for what seems like forever. I wish Balgus had never written that, maybe Merle would still be safe at home if he'd never made that entry. I miss that annoying little imp. I sometimes forget she isn't so little anymore. She's the same age I was when I came to Gaea, fell in love with Van, and Allen asked me to marry him. I don't think I'll ever get over how much my life changed because of Amano. I don't love him anymore, but I'm grateful to him. I wouldn't have nearly such a wonderful life if I'd never went to say goodbye to him at the track that fateful night. Fate is a funny thing, you know. Isn't it funny how your name sounds a lot like Merle's sister's name? Freaky coincidence, huh? Oh well, I'm sure we'll find Nuri-Nuri. She's out there, waiting for Merle to find her. 

I hope she comes back soon though. I'll need her help with the baby. Yes, that's right, I'm pregnant with Van's child. I went to the healers this morning and they confirmed what's been running through my mind for weeks. I've felt sick and have often begun the day by promptly throwing up recently. Van has been very concerned and suggests I should go visit Millerna, but I've dissuaded him. I'd like to keep it a secret from him as long as I can. It's a lot of fun actually. I haven't had many secrets before, so it's nice to have this little one, although I doubt most would consider it little. Maybe the council will approve of me once I bear an heir to Fanelia's throne. I can only hope. I want them to like me. I don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet. If it's a girl I'll name it Yuri after my Grandma, and if it's a boy, I hope to name it Shinzuru. In my native language of Japanese, shinzuru means "to believe in" and that's what I feel every time I look at Van's smiling face.

Please visit us soon, and don't tell Van about the baby, I want it to be a surprise. All my love and best wishes for the future.

Your friend,

Hitomi

A/N: The fic has finally reached its end. I hope you all enjoyed it, I enjoyed writing it. I don't think I'll create a sequel unless it's requested. I hope the end was satisfactory for you guys. I want to thank all of you for sticking through to the end and all your support! You guys rock! (It would really make my day if I got another 2 reviews for this chapter… Just a thought…) Please read my current and future fics! Until we meet again, Arigatou and Ja matta ne tomadachi… * Vanishes in a cloud of blue smoke *

~Trunks Gal~


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